Lionheart
by NileRivers94
Summary: Leo Castor Black of Number 4, Privet Drive was happy to say that he was the furthest thing from normal, thank you very much. Most likely because that would make him like the Dursleys, whom he despised. Fortunately, he was more like his cousin, Harry. When a couple of letters appear and tell them they're wizards... well, the boy couldn't be more pleased. Rest of Summary in Prologue.
1. Prologue

**Summary:**

_Leo Castor Black of Number 4, Privet Drive was happy to say that he was the furthest thing from normal, thank you very much. Most likely because being normal would make him like the Dursleys, whom he despised. Fortunately, he was more like his cousin, Harry, whom he loved like a brother. When a couple of letters appear and tell them they're wizards... well, the boy couldn't be more pleased. Now, he's embarking on what he hopes will be the greatest adventure of his life: boarding school._

_1st in the Star Chronicles (Alt Book Title: Chronicles of the Stars: The 'Murderer's' Nephew)_

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**Prologue**

October 31, 1981 was a significant date for many reasons. It was a Saturday - and who doesn't love a good Saturday? It was Halloween, a time for dressing up in silly costumes and begging for candy from complete strangers. But more than that; it was the day two boys lost their family and the wizarding world was freed from the evil clutches of Lord Voldemort.

Praises of one boy were sung, whilst cautious whispers and curious questions were asked of the second. The first boy was Harry James Potter, who would forever be known as the 'Boy-Who-Lived', the defeater of Voldemort and savior of the wizarding world. The second was Leo Castor Black, the nephew of the man who would go down in history as an infamous mass-murderer, despite the fact that he was innocent of the crime in question.

Leo's father was Castor Perseus Black, the older twin of Sirius Orion Black, and a powerful wizard in his own right. He had been a somewhat quiet boy in school, never one to stir things up or get drawn into the spotlight. Unfortunately, fate had different plans for him. His power and unique magical abilities piqued the interest of not just Voldemort, but of the Dark wizard's adversary, Albus Dumbledore. Both vied for his attention and his assistance in the war, hopeful that the tides of war would turn in their respective favors.

Unfortunately, Castor didn't care for either of them. He chose to stay out of the war, not wanting to choose between his two brothers, who were on opposing sides of the conflict. He received scrutiny and distaste from both sides at his choice, prompting him to tell them to 'shove off' whilst he dwelled in seclusion with his wife and newborn child. His reluctance to choose a side ultimately led to questioning of his whereabouts after his disappearance, suspiciously around the time known Death Eater Regulus Arcturus Black disappeared. Was he killed by Voldemort? Did he run away with a Death Eater? Was it all a ruse, was he really on Voldemort's side?

It was somewhat of a relief that, despite the rumors circling Castor, Dumbledore did not choose to blame his son and instead placed him and his cousin in the home of their Aunt, Petunia Dursley.

While Leo's father was well-known, his mother was not. Born with the name Rose Marie Evans, she was yet another twin born in a time of war who would eventually fade into obscurity. She was a kind, shy Hufflepuff who managed to draw the attention of a socially awkward yet brave Gryffindor - simultaneously managing to get him booted from his family, which was a blessing in and of itself. Her Hufflepuff colors showed true when, after her husband's disappearance, she continued to remain loyal to him, often lashing out when others tried to disparage him and say that he was just like the rest of the Blacks. It was moments like that when she revealed that she didn't just share Lily's eyes - she also shared her twin's temper, and eventually her fate.

When Rose and the Potter parents met their terrible end that fateful Halloween night, they were visited by three men. The first was Severus Snape, former friend of Lily Potter neé Evans, and the man who had unwittingly been one of many catalysts that led to her demise. The second was Sirius Black, godfather of one of the boys and Uncle to the other. The last was Rubeus Hagrid, a big giant of a man who took the boys from the demolished ruins of the Potter home and flew off with them on Sirius' flying motorcycle.

Leo sat in the sidecar, arms wrapped tightly around little Harry as the boy slowly drifted off to sleep. The almost one and a half year old stared thoughtfully at his cousin, slowly stroking the boy's messy mop of jet-black hair. Harry stirred for a moment before grunting and sticking his thumb in his mouth

"Haggi?" Leo called out to the man.

"Hmm?" Hagrid replied, keeping his eyes forward.

"Where momma?"

"... Gone, Leo," Hagrid finally said after a moment of silence.

"Where Wiwy?"

"Gone, Leo."

"Where Pongs? Where Pa'foo? Where Mooey?" Leo asked, tears springing up in his eyes.

When Hagrid remained silent, Leo asked, "Bad man hurt?" He received a nod. "Bad man come back?" A pause, then another nod. "Hurt Hawy?"

"...I dunno, Leo," Hagrid replied.

Leo clutched Harry tighter in his arms, frowning in determination as he vowed, "Weo pwotect Hawy."

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**A/N:**

**Short Prologue, I know. I just wanted to sort of set the story and the characters up a bit before really getting into it. I **swear,** the rest of the chapters will be much longer than this.**


	2. Chapter 1: Missed Opportunities

Chapter 1: Missed Opportunities

Ten years passed since that fateful Halloween night when Leo and Harry had been delivered to their Aunt and Uncle. From the outside of Number 4, Privet Drive, it seemed as though no time had passed. The lawn was still manicured to perfection, the interior of the house kept immaculate due to the woman of the house's compulsive need to clean everything. The only thing to show the passage of time was the numerous photos of Dudley Dursley throughout the years. Some were taken with his parents, and one or two were taken with his Aunt Marge. But, if you looked closely at a few of the photos, you could see another blonde haired boy peeking his head out from various rooms and corners, just as the picture had been taken. There were not, however, any other signs that yet another boy lived there.

Yet Harry Potter was still there, crammed into the little cupboard alongside the only blood relative who actually cared about him. Leo's head rested near his cousin's feet, soft snores escaped his mouth as he lay half-curled in the fetal position in the same manner he normally slept in. He had started this practice early on in life, wanting to give Harry as much room as he could, despite the fact that he was much larger than the boy.

Despite the fact that they were exactly the same age, Leo had always been big for his size. He was tall - taller than Harry and Dudley both - but still retained the same thinness as the green-eyed boy. His shoulders, however, were slightly broader, though not to the extent that someone would say he should play American football. With his blonde hair and blue-grey eyes, Leo fit right in the rest of the Dursleys. A fact which irked him greatly.

He had once gone out and bought some hair dye, hoping to rectify the situation. Unfortunately, due to his already light-colored hair, the red dye ended up turning out more pink than anything. The Dursleys were shocked and appalled at the change - the word 'freak' was thrown around a lot - prompting Leo to embrace the color and say 'real men wear pink.' Since then, he had taken to stealing the Dursleys clothes and soaking them in pink dyes. The downside of this was the severe punishments. The upside was that he got 'new' clothes and was able to embarrass the Dursleys by wearing pink out in public.

At the moment, Leo was reminiscing in his dreams about one such incident when a loud rapping on the cupboard door sounded and Aunt Petunia's shrill voice was heard. Leo's head shot up, banging on the underside of the stairs and eliciting a stream of muttered curses from the boy. Harry awoke as well, wearing a bemused expression on his face as their Aunt banged on the door again.

"Are you up yet?" she demanded.

"Nearly," Harry replied, drowning out Leo's 'no'.

"Well, get a move on, I want you two to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn. I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."

Harry and Leo groaned simultaneously.

"What did you say?" their Aunt snapped.

They both mumbled 'nothing' and listened to their Aunt walk away. At that point, Harry turned his green eyes to Leo's blue-grey ones and asked, "Did you remember that Dudley's birthday was today?"

"Surprises me every year," Leo shrugged. "Mostly because I'm shocked he hasn't keeled over from heart disease."

Harry released a snort of laughter before reaching under their shared mattress and retrieving a pair of socks whilst Leo retrieved a pink tie-dye shirt. The dark-haired boy was the first to exit the cupboard with his cousin not far behind him. Leo opted to tend to the bacon, humming a tune to himself as Harry began taking out plates and setting them on what little was left of the table. Leo spared the table a glance, snickering to himself as he spotted the small red box-shaped present among the pile before turning back the bacon, making sure it was slathered in grease.

Privately, Leo was hoping that the Dursleys would eat so much greasy bacon that they'd have a collective heart attack. That way, he and Harry could go to a much better place. Like an orphanage. Or under the local bridge. Really, any place was better than the Dursleys. _Except for Uncle Marge's_. Leo suppressed an involuntary shudder as he thought of Uncle Vernon's sister. _Her mustache makes me so confused._

At that moment, Uncle Vernon entered the room, barking at Harry to comb his hair before turning to Leo and saying, "Change your shirt, boy!"

"I will. When you buy me a new one," Leo replied, a cheeky grin on his face as Vernon's face turned bright red.

Leo watched with bated breath as Uncle Vernon inhaled and exhaled slowly before grabbing the newspaper off the table and beginning to read. With a sigh of mingled amusement and disappointment, Leo turned back to his bacon, scooting over a bit to give Harry room to work on the eggs. The Dursleys had been like that for as long as Leo could remember. They never raised a hand against Leo – nor Harry, if Leo happened to be nearby – preferring instead to force chores upon him or lock him in the cupboard.

Uncle Vernon had only resorted to corporal punishment once but was stopped by Aunt Petunia before his hand ever made contact with Leo's rear. Petunia had taken her husband aside, whispering frantically in his ear, all the while casting fearful looks in Leo's direction. After a moment, Vernon's face paled as a panicked expression appeared on his features. From then on, Leo had decided to test the boundaries of the little line the Dursleys refused to cross. It wasn't that he wanted to get beat, he was merely curious how much it would take to truly infuriate the man and cause him to lash out.

Dudley, however, did not receive the memo that Leo was essentially untouchable. In Year 1, Leo had caught Dudley and his newly-formed group of morons picking on poor Harry during recess. The blonde, of course, intervened and the clever quips on his part and the stupid grunts on Dudley's eventually devolved into a full-blown brawl. Dudley's friends had hopped in and, by the end of it, Leo was sporting a busted lip, torn clothes, and a few bite marks on his arms. Dudley sported a black eye and bloody nose whilst his friends were covered in various bruises while Piers Polkiss held onto his broken nose from where Leo had elbowed it.

Leo had proven that, despite the odds, he was a scrappy fellow who wouldn't hesitate to stand up to an army to protect his favorite cousin. What's more, Dudley had a sit-down with his parents and was gently instructed to leave Leo alone. That doesn't mean he listened. The two got in fights many times to the point where they were put in separate classes, lunches, and recess times in order to prevent anything more than a nose from being broken.

As though his reminiscing had conjured the baby whale, Dudley appeared in the kitchen, closely followed by his mother. The boy immediately set to counting his presents while Harry distributed the eggs and bacon onto the table. Leo merely leaned against the counter, munching on a piece of bacon idly and carefully folding extra pieces into a paper towel to save for later.

"Thirty-six," Dudley finally said, looking at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."

_Quite frankly, I'm amazed you know what 'two' is, much less all the numbers that come after it._ Leo mused, giving Harry a lopsided smile when the boy made eye contact with him. In an effort to soothe the boy, Aunt Petunia informed him that he had missed a present, bringing the total up to thirty-seven. _Honestly, you could've told him he miscounted and we could avoid the whole situation. Not like he'd figure it out._ Leo suppressed a roll of his eyes as Petunia promised he could get two more presents while they were out.

With the problem solved, Dudley proceeded to open his presents whilst Aunt Petunia answered the phone. He pulled out a video camera – something Leo decided he'd knick later – a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, a VCR, and a racing bike. Quite frankly, Leo was perplexed about how Dudley would be able to ride the bike with all that blubber dragging him on the ground. He was saved from thinking about it further when Dudley reached for the little red box, prepared to unwrap and open it. Leo leaned forward slightly, eagerness and mischief twinkling in his eyes in equal measure. Unfortunately, before Dudley could finish opening it, Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried.

"Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take them." She jerked her head at each of the non-Dursleys.

"Hmm, tragic," Leo mumbled, crossing his arms over the front of him. "Hope she gets better."

"We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.

"Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boys."

_Quite sure she hates everything that isn't fat and/or edible._

"What about what's-her-name, your friend - Yvonne?"

"On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia.

_Where even is Majorca?_

"You could just leave us here," Harry put in hopefully.

Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon.

"And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled.

"I won't blow up the house," Harry objected.

"I might," Leo raised a hand, receiving looks from everyone in the kitchen.

"I suppose we could take them to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly. "... and leave them in the car..."

"That car's new, they're not sitting in it alone..."

Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying - it had been years since he'd really cried, unless you counted all those times Leo made him cry - but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.

"Dinky Duddydums, don't cry, Mummy won't let them spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him.

Leo snorted with laughter, managing to cover it up as a cough at the last moment. _I'll have to remember to call him that around his friends. Along with the crying bit. God, I wish I had that camera right now. _The boy's blue-grey eyes settled on the object hidden amongst the pile of wrapping paper.

"I... don't... want... them... t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "They always sp- spoil everything!"

_Fair enough_. Leo shrugged, well aware that he'd most likely try to find some way to ruin Dudley's perfect day. Just then, the doorbell rang -

"Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically - and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother, prompting Dudley to stop pretending to cry at once.

Piers walked into the kitchen confidently, his expression falling at the sight of Leo. The blonde gave a wiggle of his fingers and an evil grin, prompting Piers to clutch his nose and dash back into the hallway. Half an hour later, Black and Potter were sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in their lives. Their aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with them, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry and Leo aside.

"I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Harry's, prompting Leo to pull the boy away slightly "I'm warning you now, boys - any funny business, anything at all - and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."

"I'm not going to do anything," said Harry. "Honestly."

"I make no promises," Leo shrugged, grabbing Harry by the arm and dragging him into the car before Uncle Vernon could yell at them.

He squeezed himself between Harry and Dudley, leaving Harry to sit next to Piers. Fortunately, Piers was smart enough to not start anything with Leo in the same vicinity as him. Not only had the boy broken his nose, but he could also take a boy as large as Dudley in a fight with no assistance and even manage to win.

While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things, Leo noticed. It appeared to him that Uncle Vernon was never happy unless he was complaining about someone – him and/or Harry – or something. Leo firmly believed that he should speak to a professional, as there was something not quite right with the man's thinking if the thing that made him happy was disparaging others. Although given one of Leo's favorite pastimes was making fun of and embarrassing the Dursleys, the boy didn't think he was one to talk.

"... roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," the fat man was grumbling, as a motorcycle overtook them.

"I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Harry, remembering suddenly. "It was flying."

Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beet with a mustache: "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!"

Dudley and Piers snickered.

"I know they don't," said Harry. "It was only a dream."

"Dunno about that, Harry," Leo replied in an even tone. "If you drove a motorcycle off a tall cliff, it might fly for a bit before falling." He turned to Dudley, raising an eyebrow. "Wanna give it a go, Dinky Duddydums?"

Dudley clenched his fists and glared at the boy, missing Piers' snort of laughter. Leo smiled back brightly, knowing the miniature whale wouldn't do anything while his parents were in the car. Finally, the large boy gave a huff before turning to stare out the window whilst Leo turned to his more delightful cousin and nudged him, receiving a grateful smile in return.

It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry and Leo what they wanted before they could hurry them away, they bought them each a cheap lemon ice pop. _Chocolate would've been better. _Leo lamented, having not had the stuff in what felt like – and probably was – years. He stopped beside Harry, watching a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't quite so flabby.

Leo noticed that Harry seemed to be having the time of his life as they walked around the zoo, and he found that he didn't have much to complain about. He enjoyed seeing the animals – particularly the wolves, whom he oddly felt a bizarre sort of kinship with – and talking to them. Not that the animals could talk back. It wasn't that Leo could hear them talk to him, it was more along the lines that he could sort of...understand them. Sort of like how one person understood another when they used sign language. He'd always had a connection with animals that made him feel different. Not a bad sort of different, but one that he felt he couldn't talk about with Harry, out of fear the boy would think him some sort of freak for being able to understand animals.

He didn't mind being called a freak by the Dursleys – he quite enjoyed it, honestly – but he didn't think he'd be able to handle being called one by Harry.

After lunch, they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can - but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep.

Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils.

"Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge.

"Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on.

"This is boring," Dudley moaned before shuffling away.

Harry and Leo moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. _Lucky bastard._ Leo huffed. _Gets to sleep the day away, get fed, and is capable of eating/killing anyone who annoys it too much... Granted, it probably sucks being stuck in there day in and day out._

The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Leo and Harry's.

It winked.

The boys stared. They shared a glance before looking around quickly to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. Harry looked back at the snake and winked too whilst Leo gave a polite wave. The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling.

It gave the boys a look that said quite plainly: "I get that all the time."

"Tell me about it," Leo snorted.

"I know," Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying."

The snake nodded vigorously.

"Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked.

The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. The boys peered at it.

Boa Constrictor, Brazil.

"Did you eat many people there?" Leo inquired curiously.

The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and the boys read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo.

"Oh, I see - so you've never been to Brazil?"

As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind the boys made both of them jump.

"DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"

Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.

"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Luckily, Leo caught the boy by the arm before he could land on the hard floor. What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened - one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leaped back with howls of horror.

Harry and Leo both gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.

As the snake slid swiftly past him, Leo heard him hiss, and interpreted it as the snake's way of saying 'thanks'.

The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.

"But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?"

The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Leo had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. Leo was lamenting both of the missed opportunities. But worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry and Leo were talking to it, weren't you?"

Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry and Leo. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go - cupboard - stay - no meals," before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy.

Leo lay in the dark cupboard beside his cousin much later, wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food.

They'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as they could remember, ever since they'd been babies and Harry's parents and Leo's mum had died in that car crash. Leo couldn't remember being in the car when his mum had died. What bothered him the most, however, was not that his mum and Harry's parents had died, it was that his dad had abandoned him.

He'd heard the story from Aunt Petunia – although, given the source, there wasn't much he actually believed – who told him that his father was a drug addict and a drunk who left not long after he was born. Knowing that one of your parents was dead and wasn't coming back was one thing, knowing that one of them didn't stick around and was still out there, not bothering to look for you was another.

Leo had often wondered why his father had left. Did he not want to be a father? Was he unprepared? Did he know Leo was some sort of freak?... Did he hate him? Leo turned to the side, facing the wall as he rubbed a stray tear from his eye. One thing was certain: Harry was definitely the luckier of the two.

Little did he know, Harry was thinking the same thing about him.


	3. Chapter 2: Tell the Truth

Chapter 2: Tell the Truth

The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor was a memory that Leo held onto dearly for the remainder of the time he and Harry were locked in the cupboard. Any time he heard Dudley thumping down the stairs and passing in front of the cupboard door, he would often let out a loud hiss. The first time he had done this, Dudley had been startled so badly that he fell back into one of the accent tables in the hall, knocking over one of Aunt Petunia's vases. When the boy's mother came to see what all the commotion was about, he immediately blamed Leo. Leo, of course, claimed he had nothing to do with it, considering he and Harry were currently locked in the cupboard. Unfortunately, their Aunt didn't buy it, and their punishment was extended. Harry didn't talk to him for the remainder of their time spent there.

By the time they were allowed out of their cupboard again, the summer holidays had started and Dudley had already 'lost' his new video camera, crashed his remote-control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches. That last one peeved Leo more than he could express. _Mrs. Figg is a nice old lady who's never done anything to anyone, and then Dudley comes along, runs her over, and doesn't even get punished for it!_ Leo grumbled, glaring at the rotund boy. He was slowly starting to realize that justice was virtually absent in the Dursley household. Which only meant one thing: he'd have to take justice into his own hands.

One night, he snuck into Dudley's room, knowing that nothing could awaken the boy now that he was passed out asleep. He logged onto the boy's computer, snickering quietly to himself as he went onto various... shall we say, 'illicit' websites that his parents – nor anyone's parents – would never approve of him being on. Leo wasn't too interested in the content being found on the search history, he was more interested in the various viruses that latched itself onto the computer from visiting said websites. _Let's see you play your games now, fatarse._ Leo gave an evil laugh inside his head.

Unfortunately, what he failed to take into account was the effect his deeds would have on Harry. With the loss of video games to play, Dudley fell back on an old habit: Harry Hunting. This prompted Leo to drag Harry out of the house every chance he got, trying to rectify the mistake he had made and apologizing profusely. Thankfully, Harry seemed to understand that he didn't mean for it to happen, and even laughed a bit at Leo's prank.

The two spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where Harry, at least, could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came, the two would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in their life, they wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private school, Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. Harry and Leo, on the other hand, were going to Stonewall High, the local public school.

What Harry didn't know was that Leo had no intention of going to Stonewall High – nor any sort of inclination to remain at the Dursleys for much longer. He'd thought about it long and hard, and decided that his life would be much better if he left the Dursleys behind. He wasn't entirely sure where he would go, but he did have some idea of what he would do: he would find his father.

The idea had occurred to him one night whilst he and Harry were in the cupboard: both of Harry's parents were dead, but Leo's father wasn't. There was still someone out there who had legal rights to him and – considering he was his Uncle by marriage – Harry. If Leo found him, he could convince him to take some responsibility and get him and Harry out of Privet Drive and away from the Dursleys. Once he hit eleven, Leo was leaving and not coming back until he found a home for himself and Harry.

He had considered bringing Harry along but had no idea how long he'd be out on the streets searching. He didn't think Harry would be able to survive that sort of lifestyle. Harry deserved more than following his cousin on some sort of hopeless adventure. Spending hungry nights on the street, no shelter, no baths... no. That was not the life Harry James Potter deserved. He would be safer and somewhat taken care of at the Dursleys whilst Leo risked his life and health to find them a better life.

There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry and Leo went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. Harry went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in gray water.

"What's this?" he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if they dared to ask a question.

"Your new school uniform," she said.

Harry looked in the bowl again.

"Oh," he said, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet."

Leo snickered.

"Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia. "I'm dyeing some of Dudley's old things grey for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished."

Leo seriously doubted this. Harry was rather thin and short for his age, whereas Dudley was the complete opposite. Whatever Harry would be forced to wear would just hang off of him, sort of like a toddler trying on its parent's shirt. Once more, Leo found himself frustrated at the Dursley's insatiable need to treat their own family like complete garbage. _You'll get what's coming to you one of these days._ Leo vowed, glaring at his aunt while her back was turned.

At that moment, Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Harry's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table. Leo was half-tempted to take that stick and shove it so far up Dudley's -

They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat.

"Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.

"Make Harry and Leo get it."

"You two, get the mail."

"Make Dudley get it," Harry said.

"Poke him with your Smelting stick, Dudley."

Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail, with Leo not far behind him. Four things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and — a letter each for Harry and Leo.

Leo picked up his own letter and stared at it, his heart swelling with hope. Perhaps it was from his father? Maybe he hadn't abandoned him? Maybe he was off in the military and had just gotten back from being deployed? Maybe he was held captive for years and had only just now escaped? Regardless, Leo knew the letter was for him because it read:

**Mr. L. Black**

**The Cupboard under the Stairs**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging**

**Surrey**

The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp. Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling with excitement, Leo saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H. _Is this the family coat of arms?_ Leo pondered, glancing over to see Harry's was just like his.

At that moment, Uncle Vernon barked for them to hurry up. They both wandered back in the direction of the kitchen. Leo, however, never made it there. He turned, diving into the cupboard and opening up the letter eagerly. He quickly discovered that it wasn't from his father, but that wasn't what pissed him off. It was the contents of the letter itself.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

Dear Mr. Black,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

_Minerva McGonagall,_

Deputy Headmistress

Leo read and reread the letter multiple times, ignoring the yelling going on in the kitchen near him. He took out the other bit of parchment included with it, looking over the list of things he'd need and assuring himself that this was, indeed, not a prank. He heard scuffling outside his door, prompting him to open his door and exit the cupboard. Sitting in front of the now-closed kitchen door were Harry and Dudley, who looked as though they had been in a scuffle.

Noticing Leo's stormy expression, Harry made the decision not to approach him. Dudley, however, was not so smart. He reached over to snatch the letter dangling from Leo's left hand and didn't see the punch coming until it was too late. Blood spurted from his nose as he fell back with a cry, clutching his nose. Leo marched past him, briefly pausing at the door and raising a foot to kick it open. When it flung open, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia looked at him in surprise, which quickly turned to horror when they saw that Leo was clutching the same envelope that they held in their hands.

"You lying bastards," Leo began in a deadly calm voice. "Is anything you told us true? Is anything you said about mine and Harry's parents true?"

"Leo, what're you talking about?" Harry inquired, his curiosity overwhelming his mild sense of fear for the moment.

Leo spared him a glance before glaring at his aunt and uncle and demanding in a sharp tone, "Give Harry his letter. Now."

"See here, boy," Uncle Vernon began, his anger at being ordered around by a ten-year-old knocking him out of his stupor. "I don't know what sort of hogwash has gotten into your head, but you damn well -"

"I said NOW!" Leo shouted.

The light bulbs in the kitchen exploded, and the glass windows cracked. The Dursleys and Harry looked surprised and fearful at this. Tentatively, Aunt Petunia took the letter from her husband's beefy fingers and walked over to hand it to Harry, who took it somewhat apprehensively. The boy slowly opened the envelope, hands shaking as he took the letter out. He read through it, a confused expression on his face as he looked up at his aunt.

"Is it true?" Harry asked. "Are-are we really -?"

"Yes," Aunt Petunia replied in a snippy tone.

"You knew?" said Harry. "You knew that we're - we're wizards?"

"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course, we knew! How could you two not be, my dratted sisters being what they were? Oh, they got letters just like that and disappeared off to that - that school - and came home every vacation with their pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw them for what they were – a couple of freaks -"

"Shut up!" Leo snarled. "Don't insult our mothers in front of us! You have no right!" He took a deep breath. "What really happened to our parents?"

"I haven't a clue where your father is, but the rest went and got themselves blown up," Petunia sniffed.

Harry had gone very white. As soon as he found his voice he said, "Blown up? You told us they died in a car crash!"

"Harry," Leo said in a soft tone. "Pack your things, we're leaving."

"What?" Harry questioned in a bewildered tone.

"There's a rucksack in fatso and horse-face's closet. Grab it and fill it with as much food, clothes, and money as you can find," Leo instructed. "We're going to find my dad and the home we deserve."

"Listen, boy, you have no right to take our -" Vernon began.

Leo threw a glare at him, and Vernon suddenly found himself incapable of speaking. Every time he tried, his throat would close up and he'd struggle for air. Eventually, he gave up and allowed Harry to leave the room and do as his cousin had asked. Leo remained in the doorway to the kitchen, making sure the Dursleys didn't make any sudden movements.

Harry soon returned, brushing past the Dursleys to raid the kitchen for their non-perishables before moving to stand beside Leo. The blonde walked backward slowly, stopping at the cupboard and reaching inside to grab a rucksack that he had been covertly packing all summer. He stuffed his letter inside before grabbing Harry by the wrist and marching them both out the door. Before they left, Leo gave one last look at the Dursleys before flipping them off and slamming the door behind them.

* * *

**A/N:**

**A huge thank you to all the people who have read/reviewed/favorited the story thus far! I'm having quite a lovely time writing it, and I hope that you enjoy partaking in Leo's wild ride as much as he is!**

**Cheers,**

_**Nile**_


	4. Chapter 3: A Grim Old Place

**Chapter 3: A Grim Old Place**

Leo Black strode confidently down the street with his rucksack thrown over his shoulder, headed in the direction he knew would lead him out of Little Whinging. He threw a grin over his shoulder at the green-eyed bespectacled boy that followed behind him, a much larger rucksack thrown over his shoulder. Leo gave a small frown at this before turning around and taking the rucksack from his cousin and handing the boy his much lighter one in return. Afterward, the two continued on their way, finally managing to exit the neighborhood and walk farther than they'd walked before.

"Er, Leo?" Harry finally asked.

"Hmm?" Leo hummed in response.

"Do you know where we're going?"

"London. We need to get our school supplies, after all," Leo shrugged.

"How are we supposed to get to London and where are we supposed to go to get this stuff?" Harry persisted, beginning to grow concerned that Leo had, once again, not thought this all the way through.

"A bus and I dunno," Leo frowned in thought. "Might have to flag down one of our people to find out. All else fails, we just find a place to lay low and wait for those Hogwarts people to find us."

"How will they know where to find us if we're not home?"

"They knew we slept in a cupboard, Harry," Leo snorted. "I'm sure they can...find...us."

Leo slowed to a stop, an angry expression on his face. _They knew we lived under the stairs...this whole time... why the bloody hell did no one come to save us?! I swear, if I meet this Stumblebore or Minnie person, I'm going to give them a piece of my mind... _He continued to rant internally, resuming walking as he did so. He considered what he'd do or say when he met them, he'd have to be careful, after all.

Not only would they be wizards, they also held the tickets to Harry and Leo's new life away from the Dursleys. Leo may want to give them what for, but he didn't want to jeopardize their chance to go to Hogwarts in the process. _Wonder if Dad was a wizard too... bet he'd know how to get out of this mess._

Suddenly, an idea occurred to him. He was a wizard now, meaning he could use magic. That meant that he could use magic to track his Dad down – a locator spell, or a tracking spell. _I need a wand first though... _Leo scratched his chin as the duo arrived at the bus stop, wondering where he could procure one.

The two waited there for half an hour, unable to say much when a portly man and a wrinkled old lady joined them. When the bus finally arrived, Leo dug around for money in the side pocket of the rucksack before boarding the bus after the older lady, Harry following close behind. The bus driver took a moment to scrutinize them.

"Shouldn't choo be wif your parents, lads?" The man asked in a thickly accented tone.

While Harry panicked internally, Leo responded swiftly with, "We're meeting up with our dad in London. Had to pick up some stuff from our aunt and uncle's."

"And where's yer mum?"

"Home sick," Leo shrugged. "She can't leave the bed, and Dad really needed the stuff, so we volunteered to go get it for him."

The driver stared at him for a moment before giving a many gap toothed grin and saying, "Such sweet boys. Keep tha pounds, lads. Save it fo ya poor mum."

"Thank you, sir," Leo grinned. "My mum and dad really appreciate it."

With that being said, Leo grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him to the very back of the bus and away from everyone else. They settled in a pair of seats off to the right with Harry sitting next to the window and Leo next to the aisle. When the bus finally started moving, Harry seemed to relax somewhat before turning to his cousin and blinking at him in surprise.

What he had failed to notice earlier was that Leo wasn't wearing his usual pink or tie-dye attire, but instead a dark red hoodie and a pair of frayed jeans. Harry briefly wondered where he got the clothes from before remembering that Leo had a tendency to take five-finger discounts at stores or steal money from the Dursleys and buy them. Harry never complained or berated him, after all Leo always made sure to bring him something back as well.

"You're not wearing pink," Harry finally stated.

"Gotta blend in," Leo shrugged in response, drumming his left fingers on his knee.

"But you didn't even know we were leaving -"

"Truth is, Harry, I'd been thinking about leaving for awhile," Leo sighed, turning to look at the boy. "I was planning to do it after we turned eleven, but I wanted to be prepared in case something happened and I had to leave immediately. Like now."

"Were you ever going to tell me?" Harry demanded.

"Yeah, but not until the day before," Leo replied honestly. "That or I would've written you a note... I didn't actually want to say goodbye to you, Harry. I knew you would try to change my mind."

"You – you were going to leave me behind – at the Dursleys?!"

"Shh," Leo hissed, placing a hand over his cousin's mouth. "Only until I could find my dad and he could give us a new home. I didn't want to drag you along on a dangerous journey... I- I was worried you'd get hurt."

Harry removed his hand before asking, "So, what changed? Why're you bringing me along now?"

"You heard Petunia. We're officially wizards – freaks," Leo shook his head in disgust at the word. "If they hated us and treated us poorly without officially knowing before – how bad do you think they'd treat us after the fact? No, it was much safer for you if you came along."

"And how is it any safer out here now than it was this morning?"

"Did you see what I did in the kitchen? Powers like this, I can protect us both, Harry," Leo grinned widely.

* * *

The bus ended up dropping the duo off near King's Cross Station, a name that Leo swore he remembered from somewhere. After a moment of intense thought, Leo reached into the rucksack Harry was carrying and dug out his Hogwarts letter. He opened the envelope, looking around inside to find a ticket that told him to take the train from Platform Nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock.

Deciding that they didn't have anything better to do at the moment, Leo led the way into the station and looked around before spotting Platform 9 and Platform 10. _But where's 9 ¾?_ Leo pondered with a frown before smacking himself in the forehead. _It's magical, so it's probably hidden. Meaning we won't find it until we follow some other wizarding family who's boarding the train... meaning we have to wait until September 1st_. He let out a loud groan of impatience, drawing attention from nearby pedestrians who looked at the two unaccompanied minors oddly.

"What're you lookin' at, ya nonce?" Leo questioned a man who had been staring at them a bit too long.

The man gave an affronted look before sniffing and wandering off, muttering about rude children. Harry nervously grabbed his grumpy cousin by the arm and slowly pulled him out of the train station. Leo allowed himself to be led away, his foul mood from earlier that morning returning with a vengeance. It was only once they had left the station well enough behind that Harry finally released his arm.

"Where do we go from here?" Harry asked, looking around the large city with wide eyes.

"Dunno," Leo shrugged before hearing a loud growling noise coming from Harry's stomach. "How 'bout some pizza? We passed a decent-looking place on the way to King's Cross, probably only a few minutes away."

Harry nodded eagerly at the thought of food, receiving a wide grin from Leo as he led them down Euston Road in the direction of the Pizza Express. True to his word, it only took about five minutes to reach the place, where they were promptly sat at a table and given menus to order food. They decided on a large cheese pizza – banking on there being leftovers to munch on later – and a couple of waters. Leo stared longingly at the picture of a chocolate cake on the menu before sighing as he handed it to the waiter. Much as he wanted some chocolate, he and Harry needed to preserve their money as much as possible.

They ate quickly once the food arrived, taking half of it to go once they were done. Leo left the appropriate amount of money on the table – including a generous tip – before the duo exited the restaurant. They debated where to go next before it was decided that they'd just wander about for a bit until they discovered someone or something that seemed magical.

After an hour of just walking around the city – the only 'magical' things being the shops that taught you how to pull rabbits out of hats and other nonsense like that – the two found their way onto a street called Grimmauld Place. Tall, dilapidated houses looked down on them from every side as the two passed numbers eleven, twelve, and thirteen. Leo continued walking, not paying attention to any of the houses until he noticed that Harry had stopped, staring at number twelve with a frown.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Leo inquired, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he walked over.

"Nothing," Harry shook his head. "I just think it's odd that they skipped from eleven to thirteen. What do you think happened to twelve?"

Now it was Leo's turn to frown in confusion.

"What're you on about? Twelve's right there," Leo replied, pointing at the house.

Sure enough, to his eyes at least, stood Number 12, Grimmauld Place. It was quite a bit larger than the houses on either side of it, to be sure, but Leo felt that only made it all the more noticeable. It was a bit shabbier looking than the rest of the houses, as though the owner had decided the outside wasn't worth the upkeep any longer. The windows were so dirty Leo couldn't see through them, and black paint on the walls looked as though they had been peeling for years.

"No, it's not," Harry insisted. "It's just an empty lot."

"No, there's -" Leo began before letting loose an audible gasp of realization.

Staring at his cousin with barely contained excitement, Leo grabbed Harry by the arm and led him toward the house. They walked up the worn stone steps and stared at the door. Its black paint was shabby and scratched. The silver doorknocker was in the form of a twisted serpent. There was no keyhole or letterbox. Leo held up a fist, prepared to knock on the door when something strange happened. As soon as his hand made contact with the door, it swung open. Harry gave Leo a surprised and bewildered look, now able to see the house as well its interior.

They stepped over the threshold into the almost total darkness of the hall. Leo could smell damp, dust, and a sweetish, rotting smell; the place had the feeling of a derelict building. As soon as Leo had stepped foot inside, he heard a soft hissing noise and then old-fashioned gas lamps sputtered into life all along the walls, casting a flickering insubstantial light over the peeling wallpaper and threadbare carpet of a long, gloomy hallway, where a cobwebby chandelier glimmered overhead and age-blackened portraits hung crooked on the walls.

"Who dares enter the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black?" a voice croaked to their left as the door slammed shut behind them.

The duo jumped in surprise before turning to see the oddest creature that they had ever laid eyes on. Except for the filthy rag tied like a loincloth around its middle, it was completely naked. It looked very old. Its skin seemed to be several times too big for it and though it was bald, there was a quantity of white hair growing out of its large, bat-like ears. Its eyes were a bloodshot and watery gray, and its fleshy nose was large and rather snout-like.

"Er...," Harry mumbled intelligently.

Leo rolled his eyes before squaring his shoulders and saying in a voice full of as much confidence as he could muster, "I'm Leo Castor Black. Who're you?"

The creature's eyes widened in shock and surprise as he stared at Leo. The blonde's confident smile faltered somewhat as an awkward silence ensued between the trio. Leo opened his mouth, about to attempt to break the awkward tension that surrounded them, when the creature threw himself at his feet, sobbing loudly. Leo exchanged a bewildered and slightly appalled look with Harry, unsure of what to do.

"Er, can you please stop that?" Leo finally said. "It's making Harry uncomfortable."

Harry gave him a dirty look before blinking in surprise as the creature shot back up to its feet, standing up straight as it tried to stop its sniffling. The two humans exchanged another befuddled glance before Harry gestured for Leo to take the lead. The blonde gave a gruff sigh before turning back to the creature, unsure of what to say. _How about introductions, Leo? That's always a good place to start._ Leo remarked dryly.

"Um, who are you, exactly?" Leo finally asked.

"Kreacher is Kreacher," the creature – appropriately named Kreacher – bowed.

"Er, right, of course it is," Leo blinked after a moment. "What are you, exactly?"

"Kreacher is a house-elf, Young Master," Kreacher bowed even lower, his nose almost touching the ground.

"What's a – wait. What did you just call me?" Leo inquired.

Kreacher raised his head, his expression slightly confused as he replied, "Kreacher called Young Master by his title. Young Master is the heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black."

When Leo continued to look confused, Kreacher beckoned the boy to follow him. Leo exchanged an apprehensive look with Harry before the two followed after the house-elf. Before long, the three of them entered what appeared to be a drawing room, a long, high-ceilinged room on the first floor with olive-green walls covered in dirty tapestries. The carpet exhaled little clouds of dust every time someone put their foot on it and the long, moss-green velvet curtains were buzzing as though swarming with invisible bees. However, Kreacher led them to the opposite side of the room where a tapestry hung.

The tapestry looked immensely old; it was faded and looked as though something had gnawed it in places; nevertheless, the golden thread with which it was embroidered still glinted brightly enough to show them a sprawling family tree dating back (as far as Leo could tell) to the Middle Ages. Large words at the very top of the tapestry read:

**The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black**

**"Toujours Pur"**

Leo scanned the tree with mild intrigue, eyes widening slightly once he reached near the bottom. There, beneath Walburga and Orion Black was the name Castor Perseus Black. A line connected his name to a blackened spot and from there connected downward to Leo Castor Black. _That...that's my name. That's my dad's name right above it..._ Leo turned slowly to look at Kreacher.

"Kreacher...is this my house?" he asked.

"Yes, Young Master," Kreacher bowed once more. "Kreacher welcomes Young Master Leo home."

* * *

**A/N:**

**the22nddoctor**: You're getting a bit ahead of me there, mate. ;)


	5. Chapter 4: Happy Birthday

**Chapter 4: Happy Birthday**

Leo blinked rapidly at Kreacher, his brain trying desperately to process the bomb that had been dropped on him. Home. He was home. He turned to Harry, grinning excitedly at the boy before frowning slightly at his expression. He looked a bit worried, and a tad upset for some reason Leo couldn't figure out. The blonde reached a hand out, grabbing Harry's and squeezing it slightly, drawing the boy's attention.

"Don't you see what this means, Harry?" Leo smiled. "We have a home – a place of our own. We never have to go back to the Dursleys again."

"No," Harry shook his head, pulling his hand away. "You have a home. Not me."

"Don't be daft, Harry," Leo huffed impatiently. "We're family, and family looks out for each other. If this is my home, it's yours too. Isn't that right, Kreacher?"

"Whatever Young Master Leo wishes," Kreacher bowed again.

Harry didn't look convinced, but let the matter drop as Leo requested a tour of their home. There were four floors and a basement in total. The basement housed the kitchen, a cavernous room with a large fireplace at the far end. Iron pots and pans hung from the ceiling above, and a long wooden table sat in the center of the room, large enough to fit a couple dozen people around it for a meal. Leo found it to be a bit gloomy and depressing, seeing how grimy the surfaces were and how dusty the floor was.

They made their way back up the stairs into the entrance hall, passing a wall decorated with severed, shrunken elf heads. Leo shuddered and asked if it would be possible to remove them at some point, to which the house-elf gave a curt nod before leading them up a grand staircase to the first floor. There were five rooms on this floor. There were three bedrooms, one bathroom, and the last was the drawing room.

The second and third floors housed more bedrooms and bathrooms, and a room on the third floor that was firmly frosted shut. Leo and Harry both tried and failed to open the iced over double doors before giving up and asking Kreacher what was in there. Kreacher remained silent before leading them up to the fourth and final floor where three bedrooms were. Leo ignored two of them in favor of the one at the furthest end of the hall, which had a plaque on it that read: **Castor Perseus Black**.

_Dad's room_. Leo strode forward, opening the door and stepping inside. There was a double bed with a dark blue bedspread pressed up against the wall in the center of the room. Several bookcases stood in each of the corners, their contents neat and orderly. A black dresser with an attached mirror stood between two dressers, facing directly opposite of the bed. Surrounding the edges of the mirror were various pictures that Leo noticed were moving. One in particular caught Leo's eye and he snatched it off, bringing it over for Harry to look at.

"Look, Harry!" Leo exclaimed, pointing at the four people in the picture. "These must be our parents!"

There were two males and two females in the picture, all of them smiling and waving at the two boys. The furthest on the right was a male who looked exactly like Harry, with the exception that his eyes were hazel and he lacked the trademark lightning bolt scar on his forehead. The woman beside him had blazing red hair and bright green eyes – Harry's eyes. Though Leo would also swear that they had the same smile.

The woman beside her was blonde, with equally bright green eyes and a shy smile on her face as she occasionally glanced up at the man next to her. This man had jet-black hair, neatly combed and trimmed to where it sat elegantly atop his head. He had a handsome face, high cheekbones, sharp jawline, and blue-grey eyes like Leo's. What drew Leo's attention, however, was how tired and worn the man looked. Light shadows lingered beneath his eyes, as though he had gone a few nights without sleep. Despite this, his smile was warm and inviting – though not without a slight hint of mischief. Leo noticed Harry's father had the same sort of smile.

"Guess our dads went to school together too," Leo finally said.

Harry nodded absentmindedly, continuing to stare hungrily at the picture containing his parents. With a small shrug, Leo let him hold onto the photo before looking around the room, perusing the various bookshelves and quirking an eyebrow up at some of the topics. They all had something to do with magic, though Leo noticed that a lot of them were mainly about something called 'transfiguration' and potions. _I wonder..._

"Kreacher?" Leo called out, turning his head to see that the house-elf was lingering outside the doorway. "Do you know if my dad kept a journal or something?"

"Kreacher is unsure," the house-elf shrugged. "Kreacher knows Master Castor enjoyed his writing, but Kreacher does not know if he wrote in books."

"Hmm," Leo frowned, turning back to the bookcase. "Kreacher? Do you mind getting one of the bedrooms cleaned up for Harry to stay in?"

"As you wish, Master," Kreacher bowed before giving a snap of his fingers and disappearing with a loud 'crack!'

Leo and Harry both jumped at the loud noise, glancing at each other before staring at the spot Kreacher had disappeared from. After a moment, Leo gave a shrug, chalking it up to magic he would never understand. He turned back to the bookcase his eyebrows creasing as he vaguely recognized some of the titles on the books. He reached into the rucksack he still had slung over his shoulder, moving things around until he finally found his Hogwarts letter. Plucking it out, he looked over the list of required supplies before grinning as he realized most of the books were already on the shelves. _Brilliant. Less stuff to shop for. I can share with Harry until we find a place that sells real wizarding -_

An audible 'smack' was heard, prompting Harry to look up from the picture and see that Leo had slapped himself in the face.

"Er, you alright, Leo?" Harry asked, lowering the picture slightly.

"Ace," Leo replied sarcastically, lowering his hand. "Just realizing what a twit I am."

"Just now? Thought we always knew that," Harry grinned as Leo made a face of mock laughter. "What's wrong?"

"You know how we were wondering where we're supposed to get all this stuff for school?" Leo waved the letter emphatically as Harry nodded. "I forgot that we have a magical creature in this house who can tell us where to get this stuff."

Harry managed to keep a perfectly straight face as he replied, "Just now figuring that out? I came up with that ages ago."

Leo stared at him for a moment taking a book titled _The Dark Arts Outsmarted_ and lobbing it at his cousin's head. Harry ducked it with a laugh before running out of the room, Leo chasing after him.

* * *

_Siri 'accidentally' turned Reggie's hair red again yesterday. I couldn't tell who was more furious – him or mum. Siri ran into my room and hid under the bed, just as mum and Reggie barged in looking for him. It took a lot not to laugh at their faces – they were as red as Reggie's hair! A few lies later and they left, and Siri crawled out from under my bed. He gave me a mock salute before running out the room, most likely to cause more mischief and prank Reggie. Perhaps I should tell him it was I who turned his room pink the other day?_

Leo chortled at this before flipping to the next page in the journal. It had been almost a week since he and Harry had discovered Grimmauld Place and decided to live there. Since then, Kreacher had cleaned up the house to the point that it was now inhabitable by humans. Harry was pleased to have his own room, as well as three full meals a day – not having to do chores or listen to authority figures of any kind was just a bonus. Leo was just happy to find a connection to his father, as well as said father's journals.

He had discovered a loose floorboard beneath the bed and, upon lifting it up, found several journals written by his father, a few letters that were in neat, feminine handwriting that Leo assumed were from his mother, and a few books that left him confused. One was on the topic of werewolves, another on something called 'Animagi', and the last was written in some weird runic language he couldn't even begin to decipher.

He had set the books aside in favor of perusing the letters. He found that most were, in fact, from his mother. Others were from Harry's mother, and there were a couple from James Potter. He decided he would save the letters to give to Harry on their birthday – which was tomorrow. After reading the letters, he read through the first of his father's journals, one that told of his adventures before he went to Hogwarts.

After looking at both his parents' handwriting, Leo discovered that his was utter bollocks by comparison. Rose Black neé Evans wrote in small, careful letters, never taking up too much space on the page. Castor Black wrote in flowing script, his handwriting the neatest Leo had ever seen in his life. The words were average-sized, not too big, not too small, clear and precise in the message they conveyed. Leo's was a bit rushed, the letters crammed together and spread as widely as he could get away with on paper. _If I'm looking for similarities to my parents, handwriting is not the place to look._ Leo snorted, picking up a letter his mum had written during the summer after their first year.

_Dear Cas,_

_Sev told us the strangest thing yesterday. He said you lived in London, not too far from King's Cross. You do realize this means you're obligated to visit us now, right? Perhaps we can meet up this weekend and go to the park? I heard they're having some sort of music show Saturday night; would you like to go? I know you said you like Muggle music and I just sort of... never mind, it was a stupid idea._

_Have a wonderful summer!_

_Rose_

_Delightfully awkward. Brilliant, mum._ Leo chuckled, running his hand fondly over the letters on the was yet another trait he found that he didn't share with his parents. Where she seemed to be shy and a bit awkward, Leo was brash and charismatic. Where his father avoided conflict and seemed to think things through before he did them, Leo was hot-headed and reckless. _Least I know where I get my self-confidence and talent for mischief from. Thanks, Dad_. Leo smiled in amusement setting the letter aside.

A loud 'crack' sounded on the other side of the door, followed by a small knock as Kreacher's voice croaked, "Master Leo, it is be nearing noon. Young Master's guest is awaiting him in the kitchen."

"Thanks, Kreacher. I'll be down in a moment," Leo called back, tidying up the mess of letters and journals.

Another loud 'crack' sounded as Leo grabbed the stack of letters from Harry's parents and headed downstairs. He took the steps two at a time, jumping over each of the landings and grimacing when one of the planks made a particularly loud 'creak'. He jerked his head to the side, relaxing when the coverings over his grandmother's portrait remained closed. _That's right, Wally, just stay asleep._

Leo had had a rather unfortunate encounter with the woman as he had been chasing Harry through the house that first day. The curtains covering her portrait had opened wide, revealing an old woman in a black cap screaming at the top of her lungs, asking what filth dared intrude upon her ancestral home. Leo politely told her who he was, shooing Harry away so she wouldn't start yelling at him. The woman had scrutinized him for a moment before starting to insult his mother and saying that he was 'lucky your father was so powerful, else you both would have been burned off the tree'. At that moment, Leo had dearly wish he had a wand with which he could burn her mouth off. Unfortunately, he had to settle for closing the curtains on her and try to keep his natural loudness to a more...tolerable level.

Leo shook his head before making his way down the stairs into the kitchen, wherein he saw Harry bouncing in his seat at the table, the excitement visible on his face.

"Happy Birthday, Harry," Leo grinned, handing him the stack of letters.

Harry's eyes widened as he replied, "Thanks, you too..."

As the boy trailed off awkwardly, Leo gave a wave of his hand as he said, "Don't worry about getting me a gift. I wouldn't have gotten you anything if I hadn't found the letters. It was a stroke of luck."

"Well, still," Harry mumbled, opening one of the letters and blinking in shock as he realized it was written by his father.

He looked up at Leo, eyes watering gratefully as he opened his mouth to speak. Thankfully, Leo was saved from whatever mushy stuff his cousin was about to say by the appearance of Kreacher, who had come to escort them both to Diagon Alley, the place where they would get all their wizarding supplies. Harry looked conflicted at the house-elf's presence, wanting to read his letters but also eager to see more of the wizarding world. Eventually, he came to the conclusion that he could just read the letters when he got home and rose from his seat, grasping the elf's left bicep whilst Leo grabbed the right.

The next thing they both knew, they were spinning, and felt pressure from all sides as though they were being sucked through a tube. Darkness pressed upon them as they fought to breathe before it all suddenly vanished, and they were kneeling on the ground, taking great gulps of air in front of an enormous marble building that read Gringotts in large gold letters.

Kreacher's fingers appeared in front of Leo's face, clutching an ornate signet ring with the Black family crest. Leo took it slowly, frowning in confusion at the house-elf.

"When Master Leo enters Gringotts, ask for Adknus. Show Adknus the ring, and Adknus will take Master Leo to his vault," Kreacher informed him.

"Right, thanks, Kreacher," Leo nodded, rising to his feet and reaching over to help Harry up as well.

"When Master Leo is finished, call for Kreacher, and Kreacher will take young master home," Kreacher bowed before snapping his fingers and disappearing with a loud 'crack!'.

Harry and Leo exchanged a look before shrugging and walking inside the building, staring curiously at a short creature with a pointed beard and very long fingers and feet. They stopped at a second set of doors – this time silver – upon which was written a poem. Harry wanted to stop and read it, but Leo ushered him along, saying 'we don't have all day to spend reading bad poetry.'

Another pair of those same creatures bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more of them were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more of them were showing people in and out of these. Leo and Harry made for the counter.

"Hello," Leo greeted the creature at the counter. "I need to speak with Adknus."

The creature peered at them for a moment before gesturing for the fellow to his right to come over. The new fellow was taller than the others by a couple inches, sported a sharp goatee, and had jagged scars going down his right eye, which was completely white.

"You wished to speak with me, Mister...?" Adknus trailed off.

"Black. Leo Black," Leo supplied, resisting the urge to hold out his hand for a handshake. He held out to the ring to the goblin as he continued, "I'm told you're the one to speak to about accessing my vault?"

Adknus took the ring, inspecting it carefully before returning the ring to him and saying, "Very well, Mr. Black, I shall show you to your vault. Your companion, however, must stay behind." He raised a hand to quell Leo's heated objection. "Those are the rules, Mr. Black. None but the vault owners and goblins may enter the vaults of noble and ancient houses."

Leo seemed unconvinced, but was reassured profusely by Harry that he would be fine on his own for a while, and that he wouldn't leave the bank and wander off without him. Still less than okay with it, Leo followed Adknus. Adknus took a leather bag that seemed to be full of jangling metal from a passing goblin – as Leo now assumed they were all called – and led him into a rough stone passageway, which was lit with flaming torches. They stopped at a set of tracks, where Adknus whistled. A moment later, what looked like an old mining cart appeared, which Adknus climbed into, with Leo not far behind.

With a jerk the cart moved off, gathering speed, twisting and turning through the labyrinthine passages, sloping downward all the time. The cart moved at breakneck speeds, and Leo couldn't help but let loose a loud 'whoop' of laughter, which echoed off the walls before being lost in the tunnels. Minutes passed before they finally stopped, disembarking from the cart as Adknus lead the way down the hallway. They turned a corner, and Leo stopped suddenly in his tracks, mouth agape.

A gigantic dragon was tethered to the ground in front of them, barring access to four or five of the deepest vaults in the place. The beast's scales had turned pale and flaky during its long incarceration under the ground; its eyes were milky pink; both rear legs bore heavy cuffs from which chains led to enormous pegs driven deep into the rocky floor. Its great spiked wings, folded close to its body, would have filled the chamber if it spread them, and when it turned its ugly head toward them, it roared with a noise that made the rock tremble, opened its mouth, and spat a jet of fire that sent them running back up the passageway.

"That - that," Leo stammered, for once at a loss for words.

"Is a dragon," Adknus needlessly informed him, taking out a number of small metal instruments that when shaken made a loud, ringing noise like miniature hammers on anvils.

"No shit, Sherlock," Leo grumbled. "Did your people do that to him?"

"Yes," Adknus replied in a dismissive tone, handing Leo one of the instruments. "It will expect pain when it hears the noise: It will retreat, and -"

"That's not right!" Leo exclaimed. "Dragons may be dangerous – but that's no reason to hurt them! They have thoughts and feelings just like the rest of us! They're living creatures that deserve respect, and -"

"Mr. Black, I do not have all day to be listening to what I am sure is a very moving and well-rehearsed speech," Adknus cut him off, shaking the instrument and prompting the dragon to retreat with a loud roar. "If you will follow me to your vault."

Adknus led the way to one of the furthest vaults, pressing his hand against the wooden door and watching it melt away to reveal a cave-like opening crammed from floor to ceiling with golden coins and goblets, silver armor, with gems and jewelry sprinkled liberally throughout. Despite the horrible thing he had witnessed, Leo couldn't help but be awed at what he saw. Adknus handed him an empty bag, which Leo took with a small grunt of irritation before he began collecting as many gold coins as he could fit in it. _I want to avoid coming back here as long as possible._

Once he was done, he followed Adknus back to the mine and remained stonily silent as they made their way along the tracks back to where they had boarded. Leo leapt out of the cart, stomping into the hall and stopping abruptly when he spotted Harry, who was not alone. A giant of a man was standing in front of him. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.

Leo rushed over quickly, saying, "Harry, are you okay?"

"Blimey, Leo, is tha you?" the man asked in a surprised tone.

"Aye, and you are...?" Leo questioned warily, holding out his hand.

"Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts," Hagrid drew himself up proudly, taking Leo's hand and shaking it. "I brought yeh o'er to yeh Aunt and Uncle's when yeh were jus babies -"

"You're not taking us back, are you?" Leo questioned bluntly, quickly removing his hand and edging in front of Harry protectively.

"I prolly should... but I reckon yeh'd jus leave again, wouldn't'cha?" Hagrid chuckled, receiving a curt nod in return as Leo relaxed slightly.

"Hagrid said he could take me to my vault," Harry informed him eagerly. "Then he could show us where to get our stuff. He knew our parents in school too – he can tell us all sorts of stories! Isn't that brilliant, Leo?"

"Ace," Leo replied, not really in the mood to deal with anyone else – even if they had stories about his parents.

"Are you alright, Leo?" Harry asked, placing a hand on his arm worriedly.

"Fine," Leo shook his head before putting on a clearly fake smile. "Listen, I'm not really in the best of moods – and I don't really want to ruin your birthday, Harry – so why don't you go along with Hagrid for the day and we can meet up at Gringotts when you're done?"

Harry blinked at him, asking, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, just... don't mention where we've been staying, alright?" Leo added in a hushed whisper, receiving a nod in return.

Leo clapped him on the shoulder, nodding briefly at Hagrid before exiting Gringotts and making his way through Diagon Alley. He got his robes fitted and his hat and cloak bought at _Madam Malkin's_, got what few books he needed at _Flourish and Blotts_, got his cauldron, scales, and telescope from _Potage's Cauldron Shop_, and picked up the ingredients he needed at _Slug and Jiggers Apothecary_. Finally, he stood in front of _Ollivanders_, a narrow and shabby shop at the end of the road. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as he stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair. Leo felt strangely as though he had entered a very strict library – or, at least he would if he ever stepped foot in one - and looked around at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice right behind him, prompting Leo to jump.

"Um...hi?" Leo replied, somewhat unnerved by the man's sudden appearance.

"I thought I'd be seeing you soon, Leo Black," the man – Ollivander, Leo presumed – stared at him for a moment. "Hazel and unicorn hair was your mother's - pliable, very dependent on emotions. I would've thought she'd receive a willow wand, much like her sister."

"Just because they're twins doesn't mean they should have the same type of wand," Leo shrugged, silently latching onto the information.

Ollivander let loose a small laugh, "Your father said the same thing when he and his brother got their wands. Castor's wand was English oak and thestral hair. An unusual combination – never thought it would pick anyone, to be perfectly honest -"

"Pick?" Leo knitted his brow together in confusion.

"Yes, Mr. Black, it is, after all, the wand that chooses the wizard," Ollivander nodded, smiling slightly. "The concept fascinated your father, and lead him to pursue a side-career in wand-making so as to better understand how and why the wands make their decisions."

"My father worked here?" Leo asked, blinking in astonishment, receiving another nod. "Did he ever make a wand?"

Ollivander stared at him for a moment before walking around to the back of the counter and bending down. When he rose up, he held a long box in his hand, layered with dust as though it hadn't been touched in years. He carefully lifted the lid of the box, revealing a long, thin, red stick laying within. Leo approached it somewhat nervously before grasping it by the handle. Immediately, warmth flew through his fingertips as he held the wand up. He gave it a wave, and red flames spiraled out of its tip, curling upon itself before disappearing abruptly.

"Red oak and phoenix feather, eleven and a half inches and surprisingly flexible," Ollivander nodded slowly. "It was the only wand your father ever made – and I'm sure he would be quite proud to see you hold it."

Leo rubbed his eyes, managing to mumble a small 'thanks'.

* * *

** A/N:**

**Apologies for not updating last Friday, I got caught up in, well, everything. To make up for it, I shall post two chapters today.**

**the22nddoctor: I had a role in mind for Daphne when I began this story, but decided to scrap it when it decided to take a different turn than I had originally intended. Draco won't have that big of a role to begin with but, as the series (yes, there will be a series) progresses his role will get larger and larger.**


	6. Chapter 5: All Aboard

Chapter 5: All Aboard

_Today's finally the day. Siri and I are off to Hogwarts for the first time – though I wish I could find the occasion more joyful. He hasn't spoken to me since that incident in December when I spoke to – never mind. Once we arrive at the train, I'm relatively certain that we'll be going into separate compartments, and most likely won't speak to each other until the Christmas holidays. It would be one thing if we shared a dorm – but I find the possibility of that highly unlikely. I don't know what House I'll be sorted into, but I do know where Siri will be. He'll be a Gryffindor; I'll make damn sure of it._

Leo closed the journal, tossing it on top of the robes resting in his open trunk. He closed the lid with a snap, latching it shut before walking over to the dresser and grabbing the empty bird cage that rested there. With a sigh, he turned his head, looking at the bookcase furthest from him at the handsome barn owl that roosted at the top of it. Leo opened the cage door and gestured to the inside of the cage, receiving an indignant 'hoot' in response.

"You know you'll have to get in the cage before we leave, right?" Leo questioned, receiving another irate 'hoot'. "I know it's cramped, but you'll be let out once we reach Hogwarts." Another 'hoot'. "No, you can't just stay here while I go off to school." Hoot. "Because, who'll feed you and let you out of the house while we're gone?" Hoot. "I'll tell Kreacher not to."

The owl narrowed his amber eyes, gauging how serious Leo was about the threat. After a moment, he swooped down, clipping Leo's head with his wing as he settled in his cage, his back firmly turned to his owner. Leo rolled his eyes, slamming the door shut and locking it with a padlock so the owl wouldn't unlock it and escape. Again.

When Leo had left Ollivanders, he walked around Diagon Alley for a bit before returning to Gringotts. He was surprised to find Harry sitting on the steps with his supplies and not one, but two owls: a snowy female and a barn male. He had handed Leo the cage for the barn owl, telling Leo it was his birthday present and receiving a grateful hug in return. After looking at the golden ruff around the owl's face that reminded him of the sun, Leo had dubbed the owl Apollo whilst Harry later named his Hedwig.

Unfortunately, despite his joy at having an animal companion, the universe seemed to want to counteract Leo's newfound happiness by Blitzkrieging him with something he wasn't expecting to hear: the truth about what happened to his mother and Harry's parents. Harry filled him in about everything Hagrid had told him, how there had been an evil wizard who called himself 'Lord Voldemort' who broke into the Potter home, murdered their parents, and tried to kill Harry and – presumably – Leo. Whatever curse he had used had backfired, leaving Harry with his lightning-bolt scar and the moniker of the 'Boy-Who-Lived'.

Leo was unsure what to do with this news. He couldn't exactly swear revenge on Voldemort, considering Harry had essentially killed him. The knowledge of what happened did nothing but give him nightmares of screaming and flashes of green, followed by the roar of a motorbike. Leo did, however, comment that Harry's title was a bit uncreative and that the wizarding marketing department needed some serious work. Harry wasn't so amused with the cavalier response to how their parents had died, but was grateful that Leo didn't make a big deal or decide to hero-worship him now that he was considered the savior of the wizarding world.

"You could be less of a git about coming with me, Apollo," Leo grumbled, grabbing the handle of the cage as he wheeled his trunk out into the hallway. "We're going to a place that has people – and owls – just like us." He began moving down the stairs. "Think about it: magic, food... pretty girl owls." An indignant hoot sounded behind him as he reached the front door. "None quite so pretty as you of course, Hedwig."

Leo turned, smiling at the snowy white owl who sat nicely in her cage atop Harry's trunk. At Leo's praise, she puffed up her chest and tried to look dignified. Leo and Harry both gave a snort of laughter as Apollo gave an approving sort of 'hoot'. The two young wizards walked out the front door, bidding farewell to Kreacher as they made their way towards King's Cross. It took them twenty minutes to reach King's Cross, where they both found carts to load their trunks onto as they looked for a way to get onto Platform 9 ¾.

As they were looking, Harry suggested asking the guard, but was informed by Leo that he might be a Muggle with no clue as to the existence of the wizarding world and thus no idea how to get onto an invisible platform. The only option they had left was to wait, watch, and listen for any other wizarding families to appear. Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long as they heard:

"- packed with Muggles, of course - "

Leo and Harry swung around. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like cousin's in front of him - and they had an _owl_. Exchanging a swift glance, Leo and Harry pushed their carts after them. The family stopped and so did they, just near enough to hear what the redheads were saying.

"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go..."

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Leo watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it — but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.

"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, running off as Leo snorted with laughter.

His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone — but how had he done it? Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there — and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere. There was nothing else for it.

"Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.

"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too." She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.

"Yes, ma'am," said Leo.

"The thing is — the thing is, we don't know how to —" Harry stuttered out.

"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Harry and Leo nodded. "Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."

"Er," Harry replied, somewhat unsure.

"Don't worry, I'll go first," Leo grinned, clapping Harry on the shoulder and turning his cart toward the barrier.

Leo closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them and running toward the barrier, ignoring the indignant shouts of people he almost ran over. He passed through the barrier harmlessly and wound up on a platform with a scarlet steam engine awaiting him. _Wicked._ Leo looked around with awe at all the wizards milling about. He wanted to stand there and appreciate the sight a bit longer, but was interrupted by an irritated hoot from Apollo.

"Keep up with that attitude and I'll use your feathers to line my pillow," Leo threatened him, pushing his cart toward the train in search of an empty compartment for himself and Harry.

Apollo gave another irate hoot.

"Oi, no cause for that sort of language, good sir," Leo scolded the owl, managing to find an empty compartment near the end of the train.

"Quite right, old chap," spoke a voice behind Leo. "I've never heard words like that, have you, George?"

"Oh, no, my poor virginal ears are bleeding," another voice replied. "Where do you reckon the bird learned that sort of talk?"

Leo rose an eyebrow as he turned around and saw the twins staring at him with amusement. The blonde's eyes twinkled as he replied in a seemingly innocent tone, "The old lady down the street from me had quite the foul mouth. You could only ever hear her at night when she had company over. Wonder why that is?"

The twins stared at him a moment, mouths agape as they processed just what the boy was insinuating. Leo kept a straight face, until the corners of his mouth turned upward and he gave a snort of laughter, which prompted the twins to start laughing as well.

"George, I reckon we've got a prankster in the making on our hands," one of the twins – Fred, Leo presumed – grinned mischievously.

"I reckon you're correct, Fred," George agreed, matching his twin's expression, holding out his hand for Leo to shake. "I'm George Weasley, and this is Fred Weasley. Obviously, no relation."

Leo gave a chuckle as he shook George's hand and then Fred's, saying, "Obviously. I'm Leo, Leo Black."

The twins stared at him, mouths agape once more as Fred asked, "You wouldn't happen to be related to Sirius Black, would you?"

"He's my dad's twin, why do you ask?" Leo frowned in confusion.

"Blimey, you don't know?" George asked, receiving a head shake in response.

"Ten years ago, Sirius Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse," Fred filled him in.

Leo took a moment to process this before saying, "We all have our bad days. Mind helping me with my trunk?"

Fred and George exchanged a bemused and confused look before doing as Leo had asked and helping him load his trunk and owl into the compartment. Leo thanked them for their help and asked them to keep an eye out for a black-haired boy with glasses. He then closed the door in their faces and sat down in a seat next to the window, digging around in his pocket and pulling out the Black signet ring Kreacher had given him. _So, this is the Black family? A runaway and a murderer... Bloody hell, Leo, what've you gotten yourself into this time?_ The boy groaned, banging his head on the window before looking down at the ring. After a moment, Leo made a decision and slid the ring on his left middle finger, where it magically shrunk to fit him. _Maybe it's time I changed things. Can't exactly reject the family name, might as well embrace it and do what I can to erase the legacy my Uncle left behind._

Leo looked up as the compartment door opened. The twins had returned, with Harry in tow. After they helped get his trunk and owl squared away, they discovered who Harry really was and proceeded to gawk at him until they were called away by their mother. Harry sat opposite his cousin, listening to the conversation taking place among the Weasleys. Leo ignored them for the most part, at least until his name was brought up after Harry's.

"... That blonde boy he was with, guess who he is?" Fred asked, not waiting for his mum to respond as he continued, "Sirius Black's nephew!"

"Oh dear, the poor boy," the woman sighed.

The woman continued to talk, but her words went unheard by the cousins when Leo closed the window abruptly, not wanting to hear anymore. Harry looked at him apprehensively, but decided not to question him when he saw the irritation spread over the blonde's face.

The train's whistle sounded before it started moving, rounding the bend and exiting the station. That's when the compartment door slid open and the youngest male Weasley stepped in.

"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat next to Leo. "Everywhere else is full."

Leo gave a half-hearted shrug as Harry shook his head. The boy sat down a bit away from Leo, taking turns to glance at each of them before looking away once he got caught staring. The door opened again as the twins returned.

"Hey, Ron," Fred said. "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train — Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," mumbled Ron as Leo's head perked up with interest.

"Harry," said the other twin, "Did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother." He took a moment to pause before saying, "Leo, can we talk to you?"

Leo gave a small shrug before rising from his seat and exiting the compartment. He closed the door behind him before turning and facing the twins, arms folded over his chest and eyebrow raised expectantly.

"Look, we didn't mean to bring up your uncle so... sorry about that?" George said, holding out his hand.

Leo looked at the hand, the corners of his lips twitching upward slightly, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he replied, "Are you only saying that so I don't add you to the Black family body count?"

"Well, we could get down on our knees and beg," Fred grinned.

"But we're not that desperate for forgiveness," George finished.

Leo tapped his chin, humming slightly as he finally said, "I'll forgive you on one condition: you take me with you to go see the giant tarantula."

The twins exchanged a look before saying, "Deal."

"Excellent," Leo replied in a brisk tone. "Think we could drop it in a compartment full of girls?"

The twins guffawed before Fred clapped him on the shoulder and said, "Leo, I think we'll get along swimmingly."

* * *

Leo was making his way back to his compartment some time later, a spring in his step and a wide smile of triumph on his face. He, the twins, and their friend Lee Jordan had indeed dropped the tarantula in a compartment full of girls. Slytherin girls, apparently. At their shrill screams, the boys roared with laughter, high-fiving each other before they were caught by the twins' older brother, Percy, who happened to be a prefect.

Leo had taken the opportunity to show-off his patented 'bullshitting ability' and talk their way out of whatever punishment Percy tried to dish out. He had explained that he had gotten lost on the way back from the bathroom, and that the twins and Lee had been helping him back. They had been laughing at a joke when the screaming started and had no idea what had caused it. That's when Percy had shown up.

Leo grinned as he recalled Percy's look of skepticism before he shooed the group away and went to retrieve the tarantula. He was hailed as a bit of a hero after that, and got a kick out of Fred and George bowing to him mockingly and calling him the 'BS King'. Leo had jokingly replied that they should call him the 'Boy-Who-BSed'. That now left Leo with two more titles than he had had since boarding the train.

Many hurried footsteps alerted him to the presence of others, and he held up his hands to stop three boys from running into him. The middle was a pale, platinum blonde, grey eyed boy. The other two were thickset boys that reminded Leo of gorillas, only far less intelligent. Leo lowered his hands slowly as the boys stopped running at him. The pale boy opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when he spotted the ring on Leo's left hand.

"So, you're Black?" the boy questioned.

"Good Lord, mate. You can't just walk up to people and ask them if they're black. That's just rude," Leo replied in a mock affronted tone. "And a wee bit racist."

"That's not – I'm not," the boy stammered, stopping when Leo started laughing.

"I know what you meant – I was just taking the mickey out of you," Leo grinned, holding out his hand. "Leo Black, live and in person."

"Draco Malfoy," the boy replied, taking his hand. "These are my friends: Crabbe and Goyle."

"Friends or bodyguards?" Leo attempted to clarify, raising an eyebrow at both of them as he released the boy's hand.

Draco simply gave a smirk in response before saying, "This may come as a surprise, but we're actually related."

"Really?" Leo rose another eyebrow, searching his memory as he thought back to the tapestry at his house.

"My mother's last name was Black – which means we both have a lot to live up to," Draco stated pompously. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Black. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

Leo pretended to think about it for a moment before saying, "Given that my uncle was infamous mass murderer, my grandmother a crazy loon, and my dad's a deadbeat, can't say I'm all too interested in knowing what wizarding families the rest of my family thinks are better than others. Quite frankly, I'm a bit terrified to find out." He clapped his hands together, and pushed past them all. "See you lot at school."

"You'll regret this, Black!" Draco called after him.

"Probably," Leo agreed, waving a hand over his shoulder as he continued on to his compartment.

He managed to find his way back, opening the door as Harry and Ron were changing into their robes. Leo's eyes brightened as he spotted the numerous sweets everywhere – particularly the ones labelled 'Chocolate Frogs'. He greeted the two boys before grabbing a chocolate frog package, opening it, and biting its head off before beginning to change into his robes. He heard a squeak to his left and rose an eyebrow at the grey rat that was nestled among the sweets. He greeted the rat politely, frowning when he didn't feel any sort of response from the creature like he usually felt when conversing with animals. _Odd. Maybe it's magical?_ Leo shrugged.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Leo threw a wild grin at the two boys, receiving pale smiles in return. The three crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Leo blinked at the cold breeze, gripping his wand tightly beneath his robes. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Leo heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry, Leo?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Leo felt magic must be the cause. _They probably want to make it as spooky and mysterious as possible for the new guys. Mean, but hilarious._

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry, Ron, and Leo were followed into their boat by a bushy-haired girl.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oi, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" a round-faced boy called out, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.


	7. Chapter 6: Hogwarts Musical

**Chapter 6: Hogwarts Musical**

_Siri found a friend on the train, a fellow by the name of James Potter. The two are already thick as thieves. Least he has someone to bond with. I had to settle for making awkward small-talk with a couple of Muggleborn girls and their greasy-haired friend. The train cannot get to Hogwarts fast enough._

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Leo's first thought was that this was not someone to cross. Which only made him want to do it all the more.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big that Leo felt the creator must be compensating for something. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Leo could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here — but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, Leo standing off to the side whilst everyone else stood rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

_I sense many lost points in my house's future._ Leo gave a wicked grin.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on the round-faced boy's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Leo gave her a wink when her eyes landed on him, his grin widening at her stern expression.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber. Leo moved from his position on the wall and approached Ron and Harry.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" Harry was asking Ron.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

"Oh, he told you about the test too?" Leo suppressed a mischievous smile as he kept a straight face. "They put you in a metal chair and light a fire under it. However long you last determines what house you get into. That's why Gryffindors have burned bums – they sit the longest. Heard it's called 'the hot seat'."

"Fred and George's bums aren't burned!" Ron replied indignantly.

"Speaking from experience or just assuming, Ronnie?" Leo questioned, grinning widely when Ron's ears turned red.

"You're joking... right, Leo?" Harry questioned nervously.

"Absolutely," Leo replied, grinning at him. "He said we actually have to fight giant spiders. Lee knicked one of them from last year and brought it on the train. It was wicked."

Ron's face paled considerably at this as Harry looked stricken. Leo was half-tempted to apologize and come clean, but felt it would be more hilarious to let them sweat it out and discover what was awaiting them alongside everyone else.

Several people behind him screamed, prompting him to jump and shout, "Son of a —!"

Thankfully, he wasn't the only one who was startled. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance —"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

"Having a party. It was getting quite rowdy when you lot showed up," Leo replied when everyone else remained silent. "Now it's just... _dead_ depressing."

"Oh ho! Quite the bold one, aren't you lad?" said the Fat Friar, smiling at him. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

Leo strutted to the front of the line, following right behind Professor McGonagall as they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

At this point, even Leo couldn't help but feel impressed. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Leo looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. _Either it's magical or a skylight. Either way, that's pretty sweet._

Leo quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. It reminded Leo somewhat of Grimmauld Place in that sense. He suddenly found himself quite homesick for a moment.

For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty, _

_But don't judge on what you see, _

_I'll eat myself if you can find _

_A smarter hat than me. _

_You can keep your bowlers black, _

_Your top hats sleek and tall, _

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat _

_And I can cap them all. _

_There's nothing hidden in your head _

_The Sorting Hat can't see, _

_So try me on and I will tell you _

_Where you ought to be. _

_You might belong in Gryffindor, _

_Where dwell the brave at heart, _

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry _

_Set Gryffindors apart; _

_You might belong in Hufflepuff, _

_Where they are just and loyal, _

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true _

_And unafraid of toil; _

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_if you've a ready mind, _

_Where those of wit and learning, _

_Will always find their kind; _

_Or perhaps in Slytherin _

_You'll make your real friends, _

_Those cunning folk use any means _

_To achieve their ends. _

_So put me on! Don't be afraid! _

_And don't get in a flap! _

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!" _

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. Leo found himself somewhat disappointed that the test was sitting in a chair and wearing a hat. He was hoping for something a little more dangerous. _Like troll wrestling._ He grinned, catching Fred's eye at the Gryffindor table

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause —

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat. The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Leo saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Black, Leo!"

Leo ignored all the curious whispers and stares as he approached the hat, instead deigning to wave at everyone in much the same manner he had seen the Queen do on the telly. He was well-aware of why his name caused a stir. _It's because I'm wildly attractive, obviously._ Leo grinned before the hat dropped over his eyes. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.

"Leo Black," said a small voice in his ear. "Can't say I was looking forward to Sorting you. Your father made quite a mess of things when I tried to Sort him. Made things very difficult."

_If you're digging for an apology, we'll be sitting here for a very long time._

"Your mother was quite simple. Hufflepuff, through and through. Perhaps you...?" the hat trailed off. "Hmm, plenty of loyalty, but no work ethic."

_That's fair._

"Ravenclaw is not even an option."

_That's rude._

"Plenty of cunning, but no ambition or sense of self-preservation whatsoever. Not Slytherin."

_What eleven-year-old even has ambition?_

"That just leaves – GRYFFINDOR!"

Leo took the hat off, frowning when everyone just stared at him in shock.

Leo raised an eyebrow and said, "If people don't start cheering, this is going to get very awkward very fast."

A few scattered laughs were heard before an old man with a long silvery beard rose from the staff table and began to clap. Other teachers and students followed, though Leo noticed Fred, George, and Lee were some of the first. Leo gave an over-the-top bow before strutting over to the Gryffindor table and taking a seat next to Lee and across from Fred. He spent the remainder of the Sorting tuning everything out, at least until -

"Potter, Harry!"

Leo's head perked up as Harry stepped forward and whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

Leo rolled his eyes at this as he waited anxiously for the hat to declare -

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"YES!" Leo shouted just before everyone started cheering.

Harry took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. Percy the Prefect got up and shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins – as well as Leo, after a moment - yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff they'd seen earlier.

And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry at the Gryffindor table. "Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Leo watched him expectantly and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Leo clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to Harry.

"Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin, ending the sorting. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. Leo looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The single Chocolate Frog seemed ages ago.

The old man had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Leo gave a snort of laughter.

"Best speech I've heard in years. Who is – bloody hell!" Leo cut himself off as his mouth fell open.

The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

Leo piled his plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. It was all delicious. _Not quite Kreacher quality, but still good._ Leo decided as he tore into his steak.

"Slow down there, Leo," George chuckled.

"Food's not going anywhere, mate," Fred added.

"Yes, it is," Leo corrected him, swallowing a large bite. "Into my mouth, down to my stomach, and out my -"

Lee placed a hand over Leo's mouth as some girls a few seats down threw them disgusted looks. Leo gave a polite wave before licking Lee's hand, prompting the boy to whip it away and wipe it on Leo's robes.

"Anyway, as I was saying earlier, who's the old fart?" Leo questioned.

"Right, forgot you were raised by Muggles -" Fred began.

"Muggles would imply that they were people, but continue."

The twins snorted before George continued, "That's Albus Dumbledore, greatest wizard of all time."

"Heard your dad could've given him a run for his money back in the day, though," Lee grinned.

"Uh-huh," Leo replied, absently putting a potato in his mouth as he observed the high table.

He caught the eye of a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin. The man's empty black eyes bored into his, narrowing into a sharp, stony glare. _If looks could kill... pretty sure I'd be frozen to death. Or stoned. Either way - _

"Who's the greasy-haired git glaring at me?" Leo inquired, nodding to the man.

"That's Snape," Lee answered, grabbing a chicken leg.

"Potions teacher," George expounded.

"Head of Slytherin house," Fred continued.

"And all-around git," the two finished.

"Doesn't seem like he's my biggest fan," Leo commented dryly.

"Don't take offense, he hates all Gryffindors equally," Lee assured him.

"Nice to know I'm not special."

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding... Leo, however, was only interested in one thing: chocolate.

After some time, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins. Leo grinned at them mischievously, silently asking for a tour later.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

_Challenge: Accepted._

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Leo noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

And the school bellowed:

_"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, _

_Teach us something please, _

_Whether we be old and bald _

_Or young with scabby knees, _

_Our heads could do with filling _

_With some interesting stuff, _

_For now they're bare and full of air, _

_Dead flies and bits of fluff, _

_So teach us things worth knowing, _

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_just do your best, we'll do the rest, _

_And learn until our brains all rot." _

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins and Leo were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

Leo bid farewell to the twins and Lee before getting up and following the other Gryffindor first years after Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Leo swiftly caught up Harry and Ron, waving politely at the moving portraits and occasionally making faces at them. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Leo was just wondering how far away their dormitory was when they came to a sudden halt.

A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.

"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves — show yourself."

A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.

"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"

There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.

"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"

He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.

"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy. Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on the round-faced boy's head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armor as he passed.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."

_Pretty sure living people don't listen to prefects either, Perce._

At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress. "Password?" she said.

"_Caput Draconis_," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall.

They all scrambled through it — the round-faced boy from earlier needing a leg up — and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.

Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase — they were obviously in one of the towers — they found their beds at last: six four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed.

_New place. New friends. New adventures just waiting to happen. What could be better?_ Leo sighed.


	8. Chapter 7: Snippy Snipey Snape

**Chapter 7: Snippy Snipey Snape**

_Siri and I both made it into Gryffindor, as did the Evans twins – the Muggleborns from the train. So far, the dorm seems like the loneliest place on earth. Siri has already turned James against me, and a boy named Peter Pettigrew seems to be following their lead. I don't trust him; he doesn't feel right. Remus Lupin seems alright though. Kind, a bit wary. Understandable, given..._

* * *

"I heard his uncle was a mass murderer."

"I heard his father worked for You-Know-Who."

"That whole family's dark."

"Mark my words: he'll be a killer one of these days."

"Thanks for planning my career. Would you like me to start with you?" Leo replied in a pleasant tone.

The fourth year looked stricken before running off, most likely to gossip to her friends. Leo snorted before continuing down the stairs, ignoring the rest of the whispers. The entirety of the school was talking about two things: himself and Harry. Whilst Leo didn't mind the attention and – after years of living with the Dursleys and going through public school – insults failed to have any sort of impact on him, Harry was having a much harder time on their first day of school.

The constant whispers and staring were troubling the poor boy, leaving Leo with no choice but to do what he did best: make mischief and draw attention. He put liberal amounts of oatmeal in his spoon before flinging the contents at a second-year Ravenclaw who had been staring at Harry and whispering to his friend. The boy turned around angrily, looking for the cause. Leo pointed at George, prompting the boy to throw his plate of pancakes at the redhead.

From there, chaos erupted. Food was thrown across the hall, over tables, and landing on just about anyone and everyone. Leo swore he even saw Dumbledore throw a small grape in Snape's direction before looking down innocently at his food. Leo was sorely tempted to throw something at Snape as well, but the git was looking at him with such disdain that the blonde knew he would never get away with it.

Fortunately for Leo, he never got caught as the one who started the food fight. The only ones who knew were himself, the twins, Lee, and he was pretty sure Dumbledore knew as well. Unfortunately, there was no time to change clothes before heading to class. However, once there, Leo found the classes to be more diverse and fascinating than he had originally thought they would be.

They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for. Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Leo found him quite fascinating until he started talking.

Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. Leo thought it was quite funny when, at the start of their first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Harry's name, he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.

Professor McGonagall was again different. Leo had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only a girl by the name of Hermione Granger and Leo himself had made any differences to their matches; McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave Hermione and Leo each a rare smile.

The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went. Leo didn't think it worked very well, given Snape was still around

Friday was an important day for Harry and Ron. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once.

"Alert the press, a miracle has occurred!" Leo greeted them that morning.

"Not everyone can remember where everything is like you, Leo," Harry rolled his eyes.

"I had great teachers," Leo winked.

Indeed, he had been out every night with the Weasley twins exploring the castle and its many passageways. It gave Leo the benefit of knowing where everything was and how to get there in a timelier manner.

"Wish you could've showed us," Ron grumbled.

"Sorry, been sworn to secrecy," Leo shrugged. "If I tell you, the International League of Mischief Makers will send a team of assassins to kill us all. It's the law."

"What have we got today?" Harry asked, interrupting Ron's heated response.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them — we'll be able to see if it's true."

"Wish McGonagall favored us," said Harry.

"If she did, life wouldn't be quite so interesting," Leo commented, eating a forkful of chocolate pancakes.

Just then, the mail arrived. Leo had gotten used to this by now, but it had given him a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps. Apollo hadn't brought Leo anything so far. Though, he seemed to enjoy swooping in every morning, landing on his head, and dropping a dead mouse on the table.

When he did so that morning, Leo had to say, "Alright, this has to stop. Most people don't enjoy seeing a dead mouse at the table."

Hoot.

"Don't tell me to 'get over it', you're the one doing a mouse delivery." Hoot. "Grateful? For what? For you ruining a perfectly good meal?" Hoot. "We both know you're not doing it to be nice, you're doing it to be rude." Hoot. "Incentive not to? What, you want to make a deal?" Hoot. "Fine. All my bacon and sausage every morning in exchange for no more mice – or any other dead animals. Deal?"

Apollo gave a hoot of agreement before retrieving his mouse and flying out the Great Hall. Once he left, Harry showed Leo the note he had gotten from Hagrid, asking to meet for tea later. The blonde gave a shrug, stating that he'd try but made no guarantees. He wasn't in the habit of making plans or commitments – he found they left little room for sporadic adventures to take place.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.

Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call. Unlike Flitwick, his lip curled upward and an angry sneer crossed his face at Leo's name. Like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new — celebrity."

Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle snickered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but reminded Leo of the dark, creepy tunnels in the lower parts of Gringotts.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

_Insulting. Bit of an ego. Huge git. Someone is definitely getting knocked down a few pegs._ Leo decided, planning to consult with the twins and Lee at a later time.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"I don't know, sir," said Harry.

Snape's lips curled into a sneer. "Tut, tut — fame clearly isn't everything."

He ignored Hermione's raised hand.

"Black, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat.

"Not a clue," Leo replied honestly.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Black?"

"Not really, considering you're supposed to be teaching us," Leo pointed out.

Snape's lip curled upward as he said, "Five points from Gryffindor, for your cheek, Black."

Leo had to bite his tongue to stop himself from asking 'which cheek'? Snape turned back to Harry, still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.

"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"

"Sit down," Snape snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for _your_ cheek, Potter."

Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. Unfortunately for Leo, he was paired up with Draco.

"You have a lot of nerve talking to Snape like that, Black," Draco commented, weighing his dried nettles.

"I'm in Gryffindor, I believe it's a requirement," Leo replied dryly, crushing their snake fangs.

"You didn't have to be," Draco persisted. "If you had listened to me, you could've been in Slytherin – where you belong."

"The hat considered it for two seconds – then said I lacked ambition and a sense of self-preservation so..." Leo shrugged. "Joining your Secret Snake Society wouldn't have given me either of those things. Besides, not sure if I'd fit in with you tunnel snakes."

"How do you know? You've never even met them."

"Hmm, fair enough," Leo conceded, adding the snake fangs.

"...We could fix that, you know," Draco stated in an even tone, stirring the potion. "Meet with some of the Slytherins after class. We'll show you that you're meant to be with us."

"Doubtful, but an interesting idea nonetheless," Leo tapped his chin in thought, adding the horned slugs with his other hand. "Fine, I'll meet your friends, Draco."

At that moment, Snape came by and began telling everyone to look at the perfect way Draco had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. The round-faced boy –Neville- had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose. "Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.

"You — Potter — why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

Leo began to rise from his seat when Draco grabbed his arm, shaking his head. Leo gritted his teeth and remained quiet, silently fuming as they continued making their potion. Once class ended, Leo followed Draco and the other Slytherins into a chamber off to the side of the dungeons. As the door closed behind him, Leo belatedly realized that he very well could've walked right into a trap. _Oops_.

Draco set about introducing him to everyone. Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, he already knew, but there were more. Millicent Bulstrode, a black-haired girl with a heavy, jutting jaw. Daphne Greengrass, a pretty blonde girl with blue eyes. Theodore Nott, a tall, thin boy with sandy hair and an oafish face. Pansy Parkinson, a pug-faced girl who was constantly making moon eyes at Draco. Lastly, there was Blaise Zabini, a dark-skinned boy who came off a bit as an arrogant prick.

"So, you're the half-blood son of _the_ Castor Black," Zabini confirmed.

"That's what they sowed on my shirt," Leo joked in response.

"He and my mother were engaged once. But he broke it off for that Mudblood bit-"

"Nice to know dear old dad had standards," Leo cut across him, eyes narrowing as he stepped forward. "And if you want to retain the mental capacity to have them as well, I highly recommend not insulting my mother. Especially not in front of me."

"We're here to talk, Zabini. Not start fights," Greengrass stated, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Besides, you're not really one to talk, now are you? Your mother's on what? Husband number five?"

Zabini flushed as Draco said, "No, six. Five died three months ago."

"Six didn't look like he was going to last much longer either," Parkinson cackled.

Zabini looked around at them all, looking for any signs of help. When none was forthcoming, he huffed and stormed out of the room, slamming the door closed behind him. An awkward silence ensued following his departure.

"Someone's got daddy issues," Leo remarked, earning snorts of laughter from everyone. "Is it always like that around you lot? Constant insults and disparaging each other?"

"Why, not used to it, Black?" Nott questioned with a small smirk.

"Not used to clever ones, no," Leo replied in an even tone. "I've been known to throw out many a witty remark. Never had the amount of dirt you seem to know about each other."

"All pure-blood families know each other, Black," Draco informed him. "And all the best ones have a little dirt on the others. We keep things secret, but Slytherins always find a way to learn those secrets."

"So, it's a game of keeping your skeletons in your closet whilst trying to find everyone else's?" Leo confirmed, receiving nods in return. "Sounds bloody exhausting."

"But it's useful," Greengrass stated. "You never know when the little bit of knowledge you learn may save your life. And you never know what bit of knowledge others may know to ruin yours. Keeps life interesting."

"Fair point – I do like to keep life interesting," Leo conceded with a tilt of his head. "But who do you know who to trust – who do you know is your friend?"

The Slytherins all exchanged a look before Draco replied, "You never know, not for sure anyway. Make friends and stay loyal, but always be prepared for a knife in the back."

* * *

**A/N:**

**I know it's been a bit since I've posted, but rest assured I haven't given up on this project. I'm already up to book five in my writing, I just keep forgetting to post new chapters due to my busy schedule. Hope you all understand. Anyway, I'll try to post more often.**

**Cheers!**


	9. Chapter 8: Family Problems

**Chapter 8: Family Problems**

_Flying lessons this Thursday with the Slytherins. James is looking forward to showing off, the arrogant berk. I'm just looking forward to being in the air again – being free. My troubles and thoughts stay on the ground once I'm in the air, with nothing but open skies above me. Remy looked a bit ill at the thought of flying, and I think I can understand why. He'd never been, for one – and for good reason, I imagine. And for two, he's a bit afraid of heights. I told him I'd watch his back, and he seemed to appreciate the thought until Siri said I'd most likely stab him in it, with Pettigrew nodding eagerly in agreement like the brown-nosing coward that he is. I didn't say anything. I never said anything._

* * *

Leo hung out with the Slytherins a few more times over the course of the weekend. He found them to be a rather refreshing change of pace compared to what he was used to dealing with. They were witty, cunning, and surprisingly loyal to each other. They were also quite cruel. They often targeted Gryffindors and the occasional Hufflepuff, both of which irked Leo greatly, given his parents were from both of those houses. At those moments, he would step in and attempt to divert the Slytherins' attentions onto himself – a feat which proved quite easy, given that he was the embodiment of all things Gryffindor.

It led to a rift between himself and the group, often leading him to hang out with the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan or Harry and Ron. Draco usually came back after a few hours and apologized, something which confused Leo greatly. He knew Draco Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins were bullies, and they knew Leo wanted no part in their... 'activities', so why continue to try to pull him into their group and be friends with him? The answer presented itself in one of Dad's journal entries, specifically the part about a man named Lucius Malfoy:

_Lucius Malfoy is like most in his family – and the rest of the pure-blood community. Arrogant, power-hungry, and ambitious. I know he wants to marry Narcissa not out of love, but for the power and prestige that comes with marrying a Black. Most unfortunate for him, the Black family is patriarchal in many of its practices. The power and money he seeks shall be his, at least until my father dies and I come of age, automatically taking control of the Black vault and all its funds. The Malfoy family won't see a Knut once that happens._

It was an enlightening moment for Leo. He realized Draco's father must be the one pulling the strings and pushing Draco to be friends with him. Once Leo turned of age – and so long as his father never returned – he would have full control over the Black vault, with the ability to allow access to other members of his family. Which now included the Malfoys.

Leo was a bit hurt by the revelation, but it also gave him an idea. Draco wanted him to be a Slytherin? Then Leo would give him one. He'd play Draco's game as long as he could, he'd dig for all the skeletons in the Malfoy closet – and in other closets as well – and hope he would be able to use it to his advantage one day. Leo may be a lion, but his father's family was a den of snakes, and that's something Draco forgot.

The second Thursday of the school year found Leo sitting with Harry and Ron, quietly eating his porridge whilst pondering where he would sneak out to that night. _Perhaps that corridor that Dumbledore was talking about? Sounds like it __sh__ould be a load of laughs._ He mused as the owls swooped into the hall. Apollo swooped down beside Leo, taking the bacon and sausage the boy had set out on a plate next to him.

"Keep eating like that and you'll end up getting too fat to fly," Leo commented, receiving a glare from the owl. "Glare all you want; you know it's true. Don't think Hedwig will be very interested in a flabby owl."

Apollo gave an indignant 'hoot' at this before taking a single piece of bacon and flying away, making sure to clip Leo in the head with his wing as he took off. Leo rolled his eyes, used to this behavior as he shook his head affectionately. Whilst this was occurring, a barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.

"It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things — this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red — oh..." His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "... you've forgotten something..."

Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand. Leo's head shot up at once.

"Drop it, Draco," Leo commanded in an overly calm voice.

Draco smirked and replied, "Or what?"

"Or I'll make you," Leo replied simply, setting his wand on the table with one hand and spooning porridge into his mouth with the other. "Don't think your father will be very pleased to hear you've been fighting with... other people at school."

Scowling, Draco quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table before sulking away with his bodyguards. Leo returned his wand up his sleeve and was about to return to his meal when he noticed eyes on him. He looked up, blinking at all the Gryffindor first years staring at him.

"I sincerely hope there's something on my face. Otherwise, this'll get incredibly awkward," Leo commented, putting his spoon down.

"How'd you do that?" Ron blurted out.

"I'm going to need some specifics, Ronald," Leo smiled slightly in amusement.

"How'd you make Malfoy leave?" Harry clarified for his friend. "Usually takes a teacher to do that."

"Just have to know what buttons to push is all," Leo shrugged dismissively.

At three-thirty that afternoon, Leo and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the Forbidden Forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance. Leo stared at them longingly, the adventurer in him itching to explore the forest's dark depths and see what horrible dangers would await him.

His attention was then turned to the row of twenty or so broomsticks that laid on the ground. Many of them looked old, as though they had been there since even before Leo's dad's time. _Wonder if Dumbledore rode one of these. _Leo snorted as he stepped up to a broom that seemed the least likely to give him splinters just from grabbing it. He glanced up, raising an eyebrow at the Slytherins milling about opposite him, trying to locate the best brooms.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk. Leo found them fascinating, and longed to question her at length on how and why her eyes were that color. Yellow wasn't a natural eye color, so it had to be magical.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

People lined up around him, looking for broomsticks. Harry stood next to him, staring somewhat apprehensively at his own broom, which was old and had some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles. Leo's wasn't much better, but at least the handle was smooth.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP" everyone shouted.

Both Leo and Harry's brooms shot into their hands at once, startling the blonde. He wondered for a moment how the broom was able to understand vocal commands before deciding to chalk it up to magic he would never understand – like Kreacher's teleporting ability or how Dudley hadn't broken any of his beds yet.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Leo was pleased to discover that his grip didn't need to be corrected, that they somehow naturally knew where they needed to be placed. He chalked that one up to instinct, similar to how he was able to instinctively decipher what Apollo was telling him with a single 'hoot'.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two —"

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle — twelve feet — twenty feet. Harry saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and —

"_Spongify_!" Leo shouted, swiftly taking out his wand and pointing it at the ground just before Neville made impact.

Neville bounced up when he hit the ground, but didn't quite land in the same area when he fell again. He hit the ground outside of the spell's area of effect, somehow managing to land on his right hand as he did so. Unfortunately, while Leo had been able to save Neville from any severe damage, he wasn't able to do much for his broom. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the Forbidden Forest and out of sight.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.

"Sprained wrist," Leo heard her mutter. "Come on, boy — it's all right, up you get."

She turned to the rest of the class.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear," she turned to lead Neville away before pausing and looking over her shoulder at Leo. "Ten points to Gryffindor for quick thinking, Mr. Black."

She then turned forward once more, leading a crying Neville away from the pitch. No sooner were they out of earshot than Draco burst into laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

The other Slytherins joined in. Leo pocketed his wand, continuing to stare at the spot where he had cast his charm.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Look!" said Draco, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly.

Everyone stopped talking to watch. Even Leo was jerked from his thoughts as he turned to look at his cousin, raising an eyebrow in mild curiosity.

Draco smiled nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find — how about — up a tree?"

"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Draco had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off.

Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry exchanged a glance with Leo, who gave a swift nod. They both grabbed their brooms.

"_No_!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move — you'll get us all into trouble."

"Trouble's my middle name," Leo grinned at her before kicking off the ground alongside Harry.

Once he was soaring upwards, the wind rushing past his face and ruffling his hair, he suddenly understood what his father had meant. He looked upwards at the endless blue skies positively beckoning him to fly up and play amongst the clouds. For a moment, he almost did so, so enticed by the call as he was, he had completely forgotten why he was up there in the first place. _Draco's being a prick._ He and Harry turned their broomsticks sharply to face Draco in midair. Draco looked stunned.

"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" said Draco, trying to sneer, but looking worried.

"If he doesn't, then I will," Leo threatened, taking out his wand.

Harry suddenly leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Draco like a javelin. Draco only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. Leo gave him an impressed look before turning and moving his broom on Draco's other side, keeping him trapped between the two.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.

The same thought seemed to have struck Draco.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.

For a moment, Leo debated going after him, but then recalled the rapidly moving breakable object heading towards the ground with Harry in hot pursuit. Leo did a backwards loop before corkscrewing downwards, flattening himself to the broom and gaining on Harry and the ball. When he was level with Harry, he debated putting his own hand out and trying to catch the ball. However, a more pressing matter presented itself: they were getting dangerously close to the ground.

Deciding the ball wasn't worth risking his and Harry's lives, he pointed his wand at the ground before them and shouted, "_Spongify_!"

Immediately after, Harry grabbed the ball and they both pulled up, their feet bouncing off the spongy ground as they landed. They glanced at each other, exchanging looks of elation and amusement as they took in each other's wild, wind-blown hair. They high-fived, grinning widely.

"HARRY POTTER AND LEO BLACK!"

Leo winced slightly as he pocketed his wand and turned to face McGonagall, who was running toward them. _Well, this can only be good._ He sighed, trying to formulate some sort of lie that would hopefully get them – or, at the very least, Harry – out of whatever punishment McGonagall looked ready to dish out.

"Never — in all my time at Hogwarts —"

McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "— how _dare_ you — might have broken your neck —"

"It wasn't their fault, Professor —"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil —"

"But Malfoy —"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, Black, follow me, now."

Leo caught sight of Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle's triumphant faces as he left, prompting him to give them all a rude gesture behind McGonagall's back as they strode toward the castle. Leo was no stranger to getting in trouble with teachers – he had served many a detention during his Muggle schooling years, after all. Harry, unfortunately, did not have that experience. His face was pale and he looked terrified, leading Leo to assume he was thinking worst-case scenario: expulsion. Leo gave him a comforting pat on the arm and a bright smile.

Leo knew there was no way they were getting expelled for two reasons: the first of which was that they had only broken a couple rules, and no one had gotten hurt from it. The second was that Harry was the Boy-Who-Lived, the savior of the wizarding world. No one in their right mind would expel him over something like this. Granted, Dumbledore didn't seem to be in his right mind, given his opening speech, but still. The worst the two would get is detention and house points taken off. Leo could live with both, and so would Harry.

McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"

A burly fifth-year boy came out of Flitwick's class looking confused.

"Follow me, you three," said McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry and Leo, who merely waved.

"In here." McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.

"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two boys.

"Potter, Black this is Oliver Wood. Wood — I've found you a Seeker."

Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.

"Are you serious, Professor?"

"Absolutely," said McGonagall crisply. "The boys are a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, you two?"

"First time on one that actually flies," Leo chuckled as Harry nodded slowly.

"He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive," McGonagall told Wood. "Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it. Black came very close; I'd wager he'd make a good reserve."

Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.

"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, you two?" he asked excitedly.

"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," McGonagall explained.

"He's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around Harry and staring at him. "Light —speedy — we'll have to get him a decent broom, Professor — a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say. Black's a little broader, but that just means he'll be harder to knock off when a Bludger comes at him."

"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks..."

McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry and Leo.

"I want to hear you're training hard, you two, or I may change my mind about punishing you."

Then she suddenly smiled.

"Your fathers would have been proud," she said. "They were both excellent Quidditch players themselves."

After that, McGonagall shooed both Harry and Wood from the room, wanting a private word with Leo. Leo watched the two leave before turning back to McGonagall, who was staring at him sternly. The blonde gave an apprehensive smile and suppressed a nervous chuckle when she just continued to scrutinize him.

"Might I say, you're looking quite radiant this afternoon, Professor," Leo finally said, hoping to cut the nervous tension.

He spotted the corners of McGonagall's mouth give a very subtle twitch before she eventually spoke, "That was some very impressive spell work, Mr. Black. Especially considering this is only your second week of school and none of your classes have covered the Softening Charm. Wherever did you learn it?"

"A book," Leo shrugged.

This wasn't technically a lie. He had, indeed, learned it from a book. But not from any of the textbooks – which he only opened when he had homework to do. He had found it in his dad's first year journal after skipping to the back looking for spoilers or possible test answers for the end of year exams. What he had discovered, however, was a list of spells he had learned in his first year. The Softening Charm had been one such spell, alongside a fire-making spell and spells to lock and unlock things. Leo found a lot of use with those two during his nighttime wanderings.

"'A book'," McGonagall repeated skeptically, giving Leo a stern look when he looked about to make a smart comment. "Was that your first time casting the charm?"

"Second. I first used it when Neville fell from his broom during the lesson," Leo replied honestly before frowning to himself. "Don't think I did it strong enough, though. He hurt his wrist when he bounced back down."

"Even so, it was quite remarkable that you were able to pull it off on your first try," she then rose an impressed eyebrow. "Even more so that you were able to do so again whilst plummeting to the ground."

"Awesomeness just runs in my family, I guess," Leo tried to give a modest shrug.

"Yes, I suppose it does," McGonagall replied, surprising Leo when she gave him a small smile.

"_Seeker_?" Ron said. "But first years never — you must be the youngest house player in about —"

"— a century," said Harry, shoveling pie into his mouth. He felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the afternoon. "Wood told me."

"Really? What else did Wood tell you?" Leo questioned as he sat beside his cousin and grabbed a healthy serving of potatoes.

It was dinnertime, about an hour after the incident in the Training Grounds. McGonagall had spoken to Leo at length about his impressive spell-casting – unknowingly inflating his already overly large ego – and had decided that he would do well with extra, more advanced course work. Leo was convinced that this was just her way of keeping him out of trouble by piling him with so much homework that he wouldn't have time to make mischief.

"We start training next week," Harry informed him before turning back to Ron. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."

Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Harry and Leo, and hurried over.

"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the team too — Beaters."

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You two must be good, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."

"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school. Coming, Leo?"

"Obviously," Leo snorted, shoveling his potatoes in his mouth rapidly before swallowing it all down with a large gulp of water and rising to his feet. "Alright, let's go."

"Y'know, we would've waited for you to finish eating," Fred informed him as they walked away.

"Yes, but then that's just less time to make mischief," Leo waved his hand airily as though they should know this.

"True enough, let's head on then," George clapped him on the shoulder.

They met up with Lee, who showed them to a secret passage that turned out to be behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy, something Fred and George had already discovered in their first week and then had later shown Leo during his first week. The passage wound up near the boathouse, which wasn't anywhere near as close to the Forbidden Forest as Leo was hoping it would be.

Lee walked away, disappointed that he hadn't found something before the Weasley twins had. It was then that Leo approached the twins and asked them for a chance to do his first nighttime solo excursion. The twins exchanged a look at this before walking away a bit and conversing heavily in hushed tones. After a few minutes, they returned, trying and failing to look serious. George took out an old bit of parchment and handed it to him.

"What? Am I supposed to lob this at Filch while he's chasing me?" Leo questioned, receiving snorts of laughter from the twins. "Don't reckon it'd slow him down. Though, it would be hilarious to see the look on his face..."

"My dear chap, what you hold in your hands is the key to the school," Fred informed him in the most pompous voice he could muster.

"... Alright, I'll bite. What is it?" the blonde finally asked after a moment of puzzling it over.

"Well... when we were in our first year, Leo — young, carefree, and innocent —" George began.

"My arse," Leo snorted.

" — well, more innocent than we are now — we got into a spot of bother with Filch."

"We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason —"

"So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual —"

"— detention —"

"— disembowelment —"

"All the fun stuff, go on," Leo waved his hand.

"— and we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked _Confiscated and Highly Dangerous._"

"... I'm kinda hoping that parchment can explode and reform at will now," Leo grinned, thinking of all the hilarious pranks he could pull with exploding paper.

Fred and George exchanged a look before Fred said, "That sounds wicked, and we should thoroughly investigate that at a later date. Anyway, George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open, and grabbed — this."

"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know," said George. "We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was, though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it."

"You're killing me with the suspense," Leo remarked dryly.

George relented, rolling his eyes as he took out his wand, touching the parchment lightly, and saying, "_I solemnly swear that I am up to no good._"

And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed:

_Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Fenris, and Prongs_

_Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present_

THE MARAUDER'S MAP

It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing were the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in minuscule writing. Astounded, Leo bent over it. A bunch of dots were crammed into the Great Hall; the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room. And as Leo's eyes traveled up and down the familiar corridors, he noticed something else.

"Peter Pettigrew?" he whispered, frowning at the words written over a minuscule black dot in the room he shared with the other Gryffindor first years.

"What was that?" Fred questioned, leaning forward.

"Nothing," Leo shook his head, resolved to look into it later. "This is amazing. The detail is incredible – and very accurate."

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Fenris, and Prongs," sighed George, patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much."

"Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of lawbreakers," said Fred solemnly.

"I think they'd be quite proud to know it ended up in the hands of people ever striving to irk Filch and cause trouble," Leo grinned widely.

"Right," said George briskly. "Don't forget to wipe it after you've used it —"

"— or anyone can read it," Fred said warningly. "Just tap it again and say, 'Mischief managed!' And it'll go blank."

"Brilliant, this'll come in handy when I have to avoid Filch," Leo smiled before frowning as he recalled the name he had seen written in the Gryffindor boy's dorm. "Er, look, this may seem a bit of an odd question but... have either of you heard of someone named Peter Pettigrew?"

The twins exchanged a look, communicating silently before George finally said, "Yeah, you may not want to know about him, though."

"Consider my curiosity officially piqued," Leo replied. "Tell me about him."

The twins exchanged another look.

"It involves Sirius Black," Fred warned.

"That just makes me want to know more," Leo crossed his arms over his chest.

Another look.

"When Sirius Black killed those people," George began.

"One of them was a wizard called Peter Pettigrew -"

"Got blown to bits, he did -"

"All they could find of him was his finger."

"Wait, so he's dead?" Leo asked incredulously, receiving nods in return. "What happened to Sirius?"

"Got locked up in Azkaban," Fred shrugged. "It's an inescapable wizard prison."

"Nasty place, filled with dementors," George shuddered. "They suck the happiness right out of you."

"Well, that sounds... unpleasant," Leo remarked dryly before shaking his head. "Anyway, thanks for the Map. I'm gonna finish up some homework before I sneak out later."

"Be brave, young mischief maker," Fred said, giving a mock salute alongside George.

Leo saluted them in return before walking away from them back towards the dorm. When he was out of sight, he ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time before he finally arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady. After giving the password and climbing through the portrait hole, Leo ran up the stairs to the boy's dorm and flung it open, looking around wildly at the empty room.

He held the Map up, frowning when he saw Pettigrew's name, now accompanied by his own. He walked forward, stopping until he was right in front of Ron's bed and Pettigrew's dot. He opened the hangings and looked under the bed, but found nothing but Scabbers sleeping soundly.

_Odd._ He scratched his head._ I don't think the __M__ap would lie... and why would – of all things – a dead person show up in the Gryffindor boys' dorm?_ His eyes widened. _Unless he's not dead... maybe he's invisible or something? Maybe he managed to shrink himself or something and is hiding in the school from... from who?_ He pinched his nose, letting out a groan of frustration. _Who would he be hiding from? Sirius is in prison, so he's safe from harm... who would Pettigrew have to hide from? There must be someone who -_

An audible 'smack' was heard as Leo face-palmed.

"Leo, you're a twit, and this is undoubtedly a very stupid idea that'll land you in a whole mess of hot water," Leo berated himself as he ran over to his trunk.

He shuffled through it before finally pulling out a few pieces of parchment, a couple quills, and a few bottles of ink. He stuffed it all in a book bag before running down to the common room and out the portrait hole. He ran down the halls to the Owlery, where he looked around furtively for Apollo. After spotting him, he gave a low whistle, receiving a one-eyed glare from the owl.

"Listen, Apollo, I know I'm not your favorite person at times, but I really need your help," Leo pleaded, gaining a curious look from the owl. "There's an important message I need delivered, and it'll be very dangerous. Are you up for the task?"

Apollo gave an indignant hoot before flying down and settling on Leo's knee with his chest puffed out in a dignified manner. Leo smiled gratefully, stroking the owl's head before unrolling a piece of parchment and beginning to write:

_Dear Sirius,_

_You may not remember me – or even care, if the stories I hear are true – but I'm your nephew, Leo. I've heard a lot about you – particularly the people you killed – and it occurred to me that I've never heard your side of the story. I'd appreciate it if you could enlighten me as to what really happened the day you killed Pettigrew and those Muggles._

_Whatever you may have done, you're family. And you should always give family a chance._

_XOXO_

_Leo Castor Black_

Leo read over his words before nodding, deciding it would have to do. He folded it up along with some spare parchment for Sirius to respond with and stuffed it in an envelope, writing Sirius's name and location outside it. He then looked around, grabbing a small box beside him and putting an ink bottle and quill in it before sealing it and attaching it to the letter and then to Apollo's leg. He carried Apollo on his arm and walked him over to the window.

"Listen, buddy, it's very important that this gets to where it needs to go, alright?" Leo told him, receiving a nod in return. "Even more important that you don't get caught and no one finds out. I don't know what or where this place is, but you're the one I trust most to get this done, alright?"

He received a confirming 'hoot' before Apollo nibbled his ear affectionately and took off. Leo watched him fly until not even a speck remained in the sky. He then took the Map out, looking it over thoughtfully before his eyes alighted on the corridor on the third floor. There lay a single dot labelled 'Fluffy'. _Alright, now I really want to know._

Deciding that he could use a little adventure after the night he had had, he lit the tip of his wand before making his way out of the Owlery and down the stairs. He kept his eyes on the map on the entire way to the corridor, not wanting to be caught unawares by Filch and his cat. He finally reached the door he needed and tried to open it, frowning when he found it locked.

"_Alohomora_," he stated clearly, pointing his wand at the door.

The lock clicked and the door swung open, prompting Leo to walk inside, closing the door behind him quickly. When he turned his head back around, he found the last thing he was expecting: a giant, three-headed dog. They were just waking up and, upon noticing that they were not alone, began to growl and snarl at Leo, slobbering as they did so. Leo decided this would be the perfect moment to put his communication skills to the test.

"Well, aren't you a handsome fellow?" Leo grinned when the dog's heads stopped growling and looked confused. "And with three heads, you must be incredibly smart too, huh?"

The middle head barked in agreement, prompting the other two to snap at him.

"Now, hold on there – Fluffy, right?" Leo said, holding his hands up in an attempt to placate them. They stopped and stared at him. "I'm sure all of you are equally smart, no need to fight over who's smarter than who. Especially not when you're all attached to the same body. You'll just end up hurting yourself, y'know?"

The three heads exchanged a look before nodding slowly.

"Excellent, now that we're in agreement," Leo gave a flourishing bow. "I'm Leo Black. How'd a big, handsome fella like you end up in a cramped dingy place like this?"

The head on the left growled.

"'Guarding something'?" Leo repeated with a frown. "Guarding what?"

They lifted up their paw, revealing a wooden trap door. Leo was tempted to get closer and inspect it, but didn't think he should tempt fate and get too close to the Cerberus. Instead, he turned, locking the door behind him before sitting on the ground with his legs criss-crossed.

"D'you know what's down there?" Right bark. "They wouldn't tell you? That's just rude." Middle whine. "What? No one even comes to visit? No belly scratches or meat treats?" Left howl. "You should consider quitting. Or, at the very least, going on strike until they agree to give you something. Like a giant ball."

Leo continued talking to the dog in this same manner for a while, finding it relaxing to be on his own and find someone to share his problems and worries with considering the fact that Apollo was now gone. It was liberating, honestly, to just talk and get all his thoughts and fears out in the open and not have to worry about being judged or getting in trouble. Fluffy even offered some helpful advice. Granted, most of it involved biting people, giant rubber balls, or chasing cats, but it was still nice to hear some feedback. Unfortunately, it all came to an end when Leo heard slamming at the door, prompting him to jump to his feet.

"Mischief managed," he quickly and quietly said, tapping the Map. "_Nox._"

Not two seconds later, the lock clicked open and a group of people rushed inside, slamming the door shut behind them. Leo raised a confused eyebrow, squinting as he tried to see who it was. He was about to call out to them when he heard voices on the other side of the door.

"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."

"Say 'please.'"

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.

"All right —please."

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!" And he heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.

"He thinks this door is locked," Harry's unmistakable voice whispered. "I think we'll be okay — get off, Neville! What?"

Harry turned around — and saw, quite clearly, what.

"Hiya, Harry," Leo waved, ignoring Fluffy growling behind him. "Fancy meeting you here. Come 'round often -"

He was abruptly silenced when Harry lurched forward, grabbing him by the arm and tugging him out of the room along with Ron, Hermione, and Neville. Leo had never seen a stranger group, and was dying to know what circumstances had brought them together. Harry slammed the door shut, and they ran, they almost flew, back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere. They didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.

"Never mind that — pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry, and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.

It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never speak again.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again. "You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads."

"Yes, he is quite cute, isn't he?" Leo commented.

"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something."

She stood up, glaring at them.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed — or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

Ron stared after her, his mouth open.

"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you?"

"Why was she even with you lot?" Leo inquired. "She doesn't seem like the adventurous type."

"Malfoy challenged me to a duel in the trophy room. Hermione followed us to try and talk us out of it," Harry explained.

"Let me guess: he didn't show?" Leo rolled his eyes, receiving nods before he jerked his thumb at Neville. "I'm guessing you found baby-face outside the portrait hole and he forgot the password?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded again before frowning. "What were you doing in there, Leo?"

"Looking for adventure," Leo grinned.

Harry and Ron exchanged a look.

"No offense, mate, but I think your cousin's barking," Ron informed him, receiving a nod from Harry and a shrug from Leo.


	10. Chapter 9: Trolling

**Chapter 9: Trolling**

_I saved Siri's life yesterday. He got too close to the Willow, and it almost took his head clean off. I tackled him to the ground in the nick of time and pulled him away before the tree could swing at us again. He seemed visibly shaken at having come so close to death – he even hugged me for the first time in almost a year. When he spoke to me today, he was a lot more polite than he used to be, but 'it's progress' as Remy constantly reminds me._

* * *

Fred and George cornered Leo the morning following his encounter with Fluffy, asking what sort of mischief he had been up to. The blonde eagerly informed them about his meeting with the Cerberus, though he left out all mention of a trap door – not wanting to give them any ideas – and kept Harry and his friends out of his story – not wanting to get them in trouble. The twins were quite impressed that he had dared tread where they had not, and that he had encountered a three-headed monster and escaped unscathed.

In commemoration of his first excellent solo adventure, the twins allowed him to keep the Marauder's Map, with the condition that he couldn't tell anyone about it. He had no problems with that, given that he'd like to have secret ways of moving about the castle that almost no one else knew about.

Another happy perk was Harry and Ron's newfound attitude the next morning. The two thought that meeting the three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite keen to have another one – something that thrilled Leo greatly. In the meantime, Harry filled Ron and Leo in about the package that seemed to have been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection.

"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.

"Or both," said Harry.

"What I want to know is why they would put something like that in a school full of children?" Leo inquired with a small frown. "Seems like a bad time waiting to happen."

Neither Harry nor Ron had an answer to this. Nor could they figure out what the package was, given that all they knew for sure about the mysterious object was that it was about two inches long and thus didn't have much chance of guessing what it was without further clues.

Neither Neville nor Hermione showed the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor. All Neville cared about was never going near the dog again. Leo was a bit disappointed at that. Fluffy could use a few friends and – as hard as Leo tried, visiting every other night – he knew there would come a time he wouldn't be able to visit quite as often as the school year progressed. It was only his increasing worry for Apollo and his need to confide in someone that kept him coming back. Thankfully, his fears were assuaged a week later.

As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by two long, thin packages each carried by six large screech owls. Leo merely gave them a disinterested glance before being surprised as they dropped one of the packages right in front of him. They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel.

Leo ripped open the letter first, which was lucky, because it said:

_DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE. _

_It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session. _

_Professor McGonagall_

Despite having a new broomstick, not even Leo could muster the excitement he normally would have had. He turned to Harry to ask if he got the same letter and almost fell out of his seat at the enormous amber eyes staring right at him. Apollo had returned, looking tired and ruffled, but otherwise unharmed. He gave a triumphant sort of hoot before holding out his leg, where a grubby letter reading Leo's name was attached. Leo removed it with shaking hands and was about to say something when Apollo took off, presumably back to the Owlery.

He looked down at the letter and then at the broomstick before handing the package to Ron, saying, "Mind taking that up to the dormitory for me? There's something I have to do."

Ron only managed a confused nod before Leo took off out of the Great Hall. He ran up to the first floor, hiding in the secret passage behind Barnabas the Barmy and sitting down. He lit the tip of his wand, took out the Map, and shakily began to open and read the letter.

_Leo,_

_Words can't express how delighted and shocked I was to receive a letter from my favorite – even if you are my only – nephew. The contents – the questions – however, weren't quite what I was hoping our first conversation would be about now that you're older. Much as I would like to not talk about this to an eleven-year-old boy – you are eleven, right? Time passes so differently here... Anyway, this is my chance to set the record straight and tell the truth. I have to tell you though, Leo, I won't be able to tell you everything. There are some secrets that are not mine to tell, I hope you can understand that._

_First, I have to give you a little backstory. In Hogwarts, my closest friend was your __u__ncle, James Potter. We were like brothers, really, always running about the castle, causing mischief, pulling pranks...they were some of the most wonderful times of my life. We had two other friends, one of which I will not name, for his own safety, and another named Peter Pettigrew. He followed James and I around and we let him – enjoyed the hero-worship, I suppose. Your father never liked him, and I never bothered to ask why but now I find myself curious: did he know what Pettigrew was and what he would do?_

_Anyway, we remained a close group after school and participated in the war against Voldemort. What not many people know is that James and Lily knew Voldemort was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against Voldemort, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, Voldemort wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm._

_I don't have much time (or paper) to explain the intricacies of the Fidelius Charm, so I'll keep it simple: it's a spell that completely conceals a person/place with its location only known to one person known as the Secret-Keeper. No one would be able to find the place so long as the Secret-Keeper kept their traps shut. The Secret-Keeper was originally supposed to be me – James insisted on it – and the whole world believes that I was the Secret-Keeper. I was not._

_I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me. Thought I was being clever - Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like Pettigrew. The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for the Potter house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies... your mother... I realized what Peter must've done..._

_I went after him. When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself. He cut off his finger, leaving it behind so everyone would think he was dead._

_There you have it. That's my story, whether or not you believe it is up to you. You have no idea how good it feels to be able to tell the truth to at least one person, and I'm glad that person is you, Leo._

_I'd love to continue talking to you but, again, it's entirely up to you. I won't pressure or force you into doing something you don't want to. How can I, I'm behind bars?_

_I'll be here if you need me._

_Love,_

_Uncle Sirius_

_P.S.: That's one hell of a bird you've got!_

Leo sniffed, rubbing the tears that had sprung up in his eyes as he had been reading. There was no doubt in his mind that Sirius was telling the truth. What he had said about James and about his dad not trusting Pettigrew was written in his father's journals. If he had been telling the truth about that – he had to have been telling the truth about everything else, right?

_That means..._ Leo tightened his grip on his wand angrily, missing the little sparks of fire that shot out. _Pettigrew got my mum killed. Got my aunt and uncle killed. Got my other uncle sent to prison for crimes he didn't even commit... that rat bastard. I'm gonna kill him as soon as I get my hands on him._ He looked down at the Map, frowning at Pettigrew's dot. _But how the bloody hell am I supposed to find someone I can't see?_

* * *

The weeks flew by after Leo had received that letter from Sirius and vowed revenge on Pettigrew. The boy had yet to send another note to him, both because he had no clue what to say and he wanted to give Apollo some rest. Thankfully, he had other things to preoccupy him. Between the extra course work McGonagall had assigned him, the three Quidditch practices a week Wood made him attend despite only being a reserve Seeker, and his occasional nighttime wanderings and visits to Fluffy, Leo didn't really have a whole lot of time to do much. He did, however, come up with an idea on how to find Pettigrew: ask for help.

On Halloween, Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Leo was partnered with Neville, something he was alright with. Ron and Hermione were put together leaving Harry and Seamus as the last pair.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too — never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Leo let out a snort of laughter at this before taking out his wand and watching Neville do the same. The boy was prodding his feather, mumbling the incantation as he did so. Leo grabbed his wrist, showing him the proper swish and flick motion he was supposed to do. After a couple tries, Neville got the motion down but still couldn't make it float.

"Magic's all about confidence, Nev," Leo informed him, rolling up his sleeves. "You're telling the magic what to do, and you have to be commanding when you do so. If you act like you're afraid of it, it won't work as well – or at all."

He then cleared his throat, swishing and flicking his wand as he said, "_Wingardium Leviosa_!"

"Nicely done, Mr. Black!" Flitwick exclaimed giving a small clap.

The rest of the lesson flew by swiftly after that, with Hermione being the only other person able to make her feather float. Leo watched as everyone packed up and began to leave, shooing Harry away when he and Ron tried to linger at the door and wait for him. When he was finally alone with Flitwick, he walked up behind him, clearing his throat and causing the small fellow to jump in surprise.

"Excuse me, sir," Leo began, the formalities feeling weird on his tongue. "I had a couple questions outside the lesson to ask, if you don't mind?"

"Of course, my dear boy! I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you may have!" Flitwick squeaked.

"Right, well, we both know that there's a lot of magical ways for a person to hide themselves, right?" Leo confirmed, receiving a nod in return. "I was just wondering, is there a way to find someone who's hiding themselves? Even if they're invisible or transformed?"

"Hmm, there aren't too many charms that can detect a transformed individual – especially if they are Animagi," Flitwick replied after a moment of thought. "The best charm would be _Homenum Revelio,_ though, I daresay, if you are looking for a single person, it is not the best spell to use when in a castle full of people that will set off the charm."

"Right, of course," Leo nodded, cursing internally before something Flitwick said resonated in his memory. "Sir, what's an Animagi?"

"Animagi is the plural form of Animagus. An Animagus is a witch or wizard who can swap between their human form and that of an animal. It is a very complex and dangerous branch of magic, Mr. Black, so I do not recommend attempting it on your own – especially not at your age," Flitwick warned.

Leo nodded, for the first time in his life deciding to heed the danger warning. He thanked Flitwick for his time before heading off to his next class, where he noticed Hermione was strangely absent. Chalking it up to tardiness, Leo dismissed her lack of presence up until the point where they were on their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, where he overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone.

Leo noticed that Ron shuffled awkwardly at this, leading Leo to believe that he was the cause. With a roll of his eyes, he turned around and walked in the opposite direction. He checked each of the girls' bathrooms before eventually hearing sniffling behind the door of one on the third floor. He hesitated briefly before opening it and walking down the row of stalls. Looking down, he saw one pair of feet and sat in the stall next to them, noting that the person in the stall was trying to quiet their sobs.

"Boys are stupid," Leo finally said, ignoring the small shriek of surprise.

"Leo! This is the girls' bathroom; you're not supposed to be here!" Hermione scolded, seeming to momentarily overcome her sadness.

"And you're not supposed to be skipping class, but here we are," Leo shot back, leaning back against the tank, smiling slightly when Hermione gave a choked laugh. "Now, c'mon, tell old Leo what that ginger git said to upset you."

Hermione was quiet for a moment before she said, "He-he called me a nightmare. He said no one can stand me... A-and it's true! I haven't got any friends or-or people who like me! Everyone hates me!"

"That's a load of bollocks," Leo snorted. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't at least somewhat like you. Besides, I don't think anyone actually hates you. Everyone just feels put off when they deal with someone smarter than them. Trust me, I deal with that burden all the time."

Hermione gave a small giggle before she said, "How do you do it? You have all these friends and you're incredibly smart and talented and -"

"Oh, stop, you're making me blush."

"How do you get people to like you?" Hermione finally asked.

Leo was quiet for a moment, staring silently at his hands before he finally said, "I suppose, after growing up surrounded by people – with the exception of Harry, of course – who hated me... I just sort of... stopped caring what people think. I gave myself the freedom to be who I wanted to be. I didn't put on an act – pretend to like things others liked – or try to impress them or anything like that, I was just...me.

"I think that's what your problem is, Hermione. You're putting all this stress on yourself, trying to impress people with your intelligence because you think that's what will get you friends. You don't have to put on an act, just be yourself."

Hermione was quiet for a moment before she said, "I don't think I've ever heard you sound so serious."

"Yeah, don't get used to it," Leo rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to make a pun about his uncle.

Leo was about ready to exit the stall when he heard the bathroom door open and a foul stench wafted in. _Urgh. Someone forgot to put on deodorant and bathe this year._ He pinched his nose, trying to wave the smell away from his face. It was when he heard loud, thumping footsteps that he realized that it couldn't possibly be another girl – or anything remotely human. He pulled out his wand and dove out of the stall before stopping and gaping at what he saw.

It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

The stall next to Leo opened and Hermione stepped out. She took one look at the creature and screamed.

"Not helpful!" Leo shouted before pointing his wand at the creature's face. "_Fumos!_"

Smoke burst forth from his wand, covering the creature's face as Leo dove forward, grabbing a frozen Hermione and pulling her back to the far wall and trying to get her to hide in one of the stalls but to no avail. The creature stepped out of the smokescreen, now quite infuriated as it began smashing sinks on its way over to them, roaring as it did so. Leo looked around wildly, wishing he had some sort of shield or a way to conjure one. Unfortunately, there wasn't a spell for that at the end of his dad's journal. There was a spell for something else, however.

"_Incendio_!" Leo shouted, thrusting his wand forward.

Despite having never used the charm before, Leo was expecting a jet of fire to shoot out of his wand at the creature's face. What he was not expecting, however, was for the flames to shoot out in sort of circular pattern, forming a makeshift shield in front of him and Hermione made entirely of fire. _Well, you asked for a shield, Leo._ He advanced forward slightly, eliciting an angry and frightened roar from the creature just as the bathroom door opened and Harry and Ron ran in. _Bollocks._

"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall.

The creature stopped before lumbering around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went. Leo instinctively swished his wand, ordering the fire to protect Harry. Sweat beaded on his brow and ran down his face as the shield extended and rested between his cousin and the creature.

"Oi, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it.

The creature didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it. Leo gasped in relief as Harry ran behind him, now able to pull back the fire that had been protecting him. He wasn't quite sure how the fire knew what he wanted, but he didn't really think that now was the time to question it.

"Grab her and go, Harry!" Leo shouted, pressing forward a few steps, much to the creature's irritation.

"Come on, run, _run_!" Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror.

The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the creature berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.

Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the creature's neck from behind. The creature couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a creature will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped – it had gone straight up one of the creature's nostrils.

Howling with pain, the creature twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the creature was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.

Leo took that opportunity to extinguish his flames, gasping out as he fell to one knee, pointed his wand at the creature and yelled, "_Mucus ad Nauseam Tria!_"

Immediately, more bogies ran down the creature's face, this time tinged with bits of red. The creature dropped its club, clutching at its head with a roar of pain and giving Harry barely enough time to pull his wand free and abandon ship.

Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron pulled out his own wand and cried out, "_Wingardium Leviosa_!"

The club flew off the ground, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over — and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The creature swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

Leo sunk to the floor, lowering his wand and panting heavily, sweating in places he hadn't even known he could sweat. Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.

It was Hermione who spoke first.

"Is it — dead?"

"Honestly, I bloody well hope so," Leo panted. "I'd rather not have to go through that again."

"Unfortunately," said Harry. "I think it's just been knocked out."

"Ace," Leo groaned, leaning his head back against the stall divider.

Harry looked down at his wand.

"Urgh — troll boogers."

He wiped it on the troll's trousers.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart. _Baby._

Snape bent over the troll. McGonagall was looking at Ron, Harry, and finally Leo. Leo had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. Leo groaned at the loud noise. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look. Harry looked at the floor.

Then a small voice came out of the shadows.

"Please, Professor McGonagall — they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.

"I went looking for the troll because I — I thought I could deal with it on my own — you know, because I've read all about them."

Leo blinked. That was a troll? He was sincerely glad he hadn't had to wrestle one to be Sorted.

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose, Ron knocked it out with its own club and Leo... Leo did some of the most amazing magic I'd ever seen to protect us. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

Leo gave a small groan, not entirely thrilled with Hermione telling the staff about how capable he was. That would just mean more homework.

"Well — in that case..." said McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione left.

McGonagall turned to the remaining Gryffindors. "Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go. Mr. Black, however, you will have to spend the night in the hospital wing."

"Brilliant," Leo remarked dryly.

"He's okay, right?" Harry asked anxiously.

"He will be fine, Mr. Potter," McGonagall assured him. "I believe he is only suffering from a severe case of magical exhaustion. Madame Pomfrey will look him over and keep an eye on him, but he should be fine by tomorrow. Now, off you go."

"Don't suppose this means I'll be getting out of homework, does it?" Leo asked hopefully.

McGonagall's stern look was all the answer he needed.


	11. Chapter 10: No Apologies Necessary

**Chapter 10: No Apologies Necessary**

_Lily made me come out on a walk around the grounds with her sister and their friend, Severus. Told me I was spending too much time indoors and not enough enjoying the fall colors. She looped her arm through mine whilst Rose did the same on my other side and escorted me to a lovely tree down by the edge of the lake. I'd never seen Snape look so furious. He may be a Slytherin, but green is definitely not his color._

* * *

Leo awoke the following morning within the white walls of the Hospital Wing, feeling more energized than when he had arrived. Something that he noticed, however, was that he was not alone. Sitting in a chair next to his bed was none other than the Headmaster himself, Albus Dumbledore. He held his hands clasped in his lap, a genial smile on his face as he stared upward at the window. Leo followed his gaze and was surprised to see -

"Apollo?" Leo asked incredulously, receiving a low hoot from the owl before he swooped down to roost on the bedpost above Leo's head.

"That is quite the feathered friend you have there, Mr. Black," Dumbledore informed him with a smile. "He found me this morning at breakfast and wouldn't let me eat until I brought him to see you."

"Yeah, he's rude like that," Leo grinned, the twinkle in his eyes betraying affection and amusement in equal measure. He then frowned. "Sir, if all you came to do was deliver my owl, why're you still here?"

"I came to get your side of the story about what happened last night," the old man informed him.

"Pretty sure Hermione already told Professor McGonagall – didn't she tell you?" the blonde inquired.

"Ah, yes, she did," Dumbledore nodded slowly. "But I think you and I both know that Miss Granger was not being entirely truthful about last night's events, and so I decided to give you the opportunity to 'come clean', as it were."

Leo remained silent; his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Your loyalty to your friends is admirable, Mr. Black," Dumbledore inclined his head slightly. "Rest assured, they will not face any sort of consequences for whatever happened last night. I have merely come to satisfy an old man's curiosity."

"Quid pro quo, sir," Leo raised an eyebrow. "You tell me about your night, and I'll tell you about mine."

Dumbledore was silent for a moment before informing him of what had happened at the Halloween feast. Leo had to suppress a snort of laughter when he heard about Quirrell fainting, and couldn't help but frown as Dumbledore told him about the instructions he gave to the students.

"So, Professor Quirrell said the troll was in the dungeons?" Nod. "And because of that you sent the students to their dorms?" Another nod. "Aren't the Slytherin dorms in the dungeons?"

Dumbledore was silent for a moment, his mouth slightly open and his brow furrowed in thought. After a minute, he inclined his head toward Leo and said, "An oversight and a mistake on my part, Mr. Black. Now that you have brought this to my attention, I shall endeavor to ensure that such a mistake does not happen again."

"You mean the next time a mountain troll breaks into the school?" Leo grinned, receiving a small smile in response. "Well, suppose it's only fair that I told you 'bout my night now..."

He told Dumbledore about going to find Hermione after discovering that she had been hiding in the bathroom all day following Ron's rude comment. He didn't go into detail about what he and Hermione talked about, given that he didn't necessarily see it was any of the old man's business. He spoke of the troll appearing, Hermione screaming, his use of the Smokescreen Spell, and the fiery shield he had conjured in an attempt to protect them.

He mentioned how Harry and Ron had showed up, and how he sent the flames to form a sort of protective barrier in front of his cousin to protect him from the troll. He talked about Harry and Ron distracting the troll, with Harry shoving his wand into the troll's nostril. When he explained how he had used an amplified Curse of the Bogies on the troll, Dumbledore raised his eyebrows upward slightly but remained silent as Leo finished his tale with Ron clubbing the troll with the Levitation Charm.

"Miss Granger is right about one thing, Mr. Black, you displayed some extraordinary feats of magic for your age," Dumbledore praised him. "Your use of the fire-making spell was of particular interest."

"I had a question about that, sir," Leo frowned, absentmindedly stroking Apollo's head after he had fluttered down midway through his story. "Why did the fire do that? I thought _Incindeo_ was just a spell that shot out fire?"

"In the case of ordinary wizards, you would be correct, Mr. Black," Dumbledore replied, steepling his fingers. "And you are far from ordinary."

"I'm not sure whether to be offended or flattered by that statement," Leo responded in a dry tone.

Dumbledore gave a small chuckle at this before he said, "I, personally, would take it as a compliment Mr. Black, but that is just me." He seemed to pause for a moment. "The magic you displayed last night resembles similar magic your father wielded. You see, among his many gifts, Castor Black was an accomplished Elementalist."

"'Elementalist'?" Leo repeated in confusion.

"Yes," Dumbledore nodded as though this explained everything. "An Elementalist is a wizard who is, shall we say, more in tune with elemental magic – such as fire, air, and water – and can direct and control it with merely a single thought. You should have seen some of the feats your father accomplished with a simple Freezing Spell."

Leo suddenly got an image of the permanently frozen doors at Grimmauld Place and shuddered slightly as he realized they had been frozen for – at the very least – eleven years and showed no sign of ever wanting to thaw. _Bloody hell, dad. Guess all those stories about you aren't just talk and brown-nosing._ His respect for the man increased somewhat at this revelation.

"Are they – we - limited to one element we can control?" Leo eventually inquired.

Dumbledore was quiet for a moment before he finally replied, "In theory, I suppose not. I only ever saw Castor use one element. However, he was also a very private person, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was able to use more than one element. It most likely took many years of training and discipline, but Castor was nothing if not a dedicated man. A trait, among many, I find he shares with his son."

"Thank you, sir," Leo gave a small smile.

* * *

_Dear Uncle Sirius,_

_I'm sorry this letter took so long to write. I wasn't sure what I should say after the story you told me (and I wanted to give Apollo time to recover, though I refuse to use him as an excuse). I pondered for the longest time what I should say to you, but eventually decided that I should stick with a topic I know best: me._

_You might think that talking about myself makes me egotistical (and you'd be absolutely right) but there wasn't much else I could think to talk about except for what we discussed in our previous exchange of letters. Personally, I'd rather not continue to discuss such unpleasant topics, so I figured I'd regale you with tales of my adventures at Hogwarts._

_First and foremost, I thought you'd be delighted to know that I was sorted into Gryffindor. I started a food fight in the Great Hall the following morning – it was brilliant!_

_I encountered a giant three-headed dog named Fluffy inside the school. He's a lonely sort of fellow, and doesn't get too many visitors. I feel a bit sorry for him, so I try to visit him as often as I can. He doesn't like having to guard Dumbledore's stuff._

_On Halloween, my friends and I fought a mountain troll that had broken into the school. During the fight, it was discovered that I have an incredible talent: I'm an Elementalist, just like my dad! It was a very enlightening moment for me, and I had never felt closer to him than I did in that moment._

_Anyway, I have to cut this letter short. I have Quidditch practice in an hour._

_Hope to hear from you soon!_

_Leo_

_P.S.: I believe you._

_P.P.S.: How do you think Pettigrew was able to hide all these years?_

* * *

The day before Leo and Harry's first Quidditch match the two of them along with Ron and Hermione were out in the freezing courtyard during break, the latter of whom had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Leo noticed at once that Snape was limping, and was sorely tempted to make some sort of comment about it but was silenced with a look from Harry. He folded his arms over his chest, pouting slightly. Unfortunately, Snape spotted them anyway and limped over.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?"

It was a book called _Quidditch Through the Ages_. Harry showed him.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"Technically, the courtyard is a part of school," Leo informed the man, grinning when he turned his glare on him. "If we went outside the courtyard and onto the grounds, then that would be outside of school."

"Ten points from Gryffindor for your attitude, Black," Snape snarled.

"Why not make it fifteen?"

"Twenty," Snape snapped, taking the book from Harry and turning away with a swirl of his cloak.

"See you in class, sir!" Leo called after him, waving after his retreating form. "I think he likes me."

"He's always yelling and snapping at you – what could possibly give you the idea that he likes you?" Harry asked in a dry tone.

"Hermione and Ron do it to each other all the time, and it's obvious they like each other," Leo shrugged, grinning as the two coughed and spluttered in response.

Harry and Leo exchanged looks of amusement before a small shadow loomed over them. Leo blinked, surprised to see Daphne Greengrass standing in front of them with a mildly irritated look on her face. Leo wasn't sure if it was from the cold or because she was near a group of Gryffindors. _Could be both._ Leo conceded.

"Black," she greeted. "We need to talk."

"If you're planning on breaking up with me, I'd prefer you make it public. I like the attention."

Harry and Ron snorted with laughter while Daphne rolled her eyes.

"Don't flatter yourself, Black. You and I both know I'm way out of your league," Daphne informed him, smirking when his eyes narrowed at the challenge. "Look, can we just go off in a corner and discuss this privately? I'd rather not have your... friends get involved."

Leo was silent for a moment before shrugging and rising to his feet, gesturing for her to lead the way. He followed her off into a corner of the courtyard, still within his friends' line of sight. He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his robes, one hand on the Map and the other on his wand.

"I'll keep this simple: you need to apologize," Daphne informed him bluntly.

Leo raised an eyebrow before saying, "This is the part where you tell me who, what, and – most importantly – why the bloody hell I should do that."

"You threatened to curse Draco -"

"He was being a git -"

"You were his friend-"

"Was I?" Leo challenged. "Or was he only pretending to make daddy happy?"

Daphne remained silent, giving Leo all the answer he needed.

"Tell Draco if he wants to be friends for the sake of being friends that he can come find me. But, if he only wants to be friends to please his daddy," Leo shrugged. "Tell him not to bother."

* * *

Leo waited patiently in the Gryffindor locker room the following day, fingers tapping as he waited for the rest of his teammates to finish getting ready so they could get this match on the road – or in the air, as the case may be. He wasn't nervous per se, he was well aware that his chances of seeing any sort of playtime were astronomically low, so he was mainly just an oddly dressed spectator at this point. Wood cleared his throat for silence.

"Okay, men," he said.

"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.

"And women," Wood agreed.

"This is it."

"The big one," said Fred Weasley.

"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.

"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Leo, "we were on the team last year."

"Anyone ever tell him that variety is the spice of life?" Leo questioned, his lips curling upward in amusement.

"Shut up, you three," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."

He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."

"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."

Leo waved farewell before laying back on the bench. Once everyone had departed from the tent, he sat up abruptly and took the Map out of his pocket. He tapped it with his wand, mumbling the words he needed before watching the map slowly appear on the old parchment. His eyes automatically locked onto Peter Pettigrew's name, still in his dorm room. There were two other names on the Map as well. The first was Filch, and the other was Dumbledore. _Bollocks. Oh well, not like it interferes with my plans._

He shrugged, rising from his seat and grabbing his broomstick before exiting the locker room and heading in the direction of the castle. Once he was a fair distance away, he mounted his broom and took off, his feet barely brushing the grass as he stayed low to the ground. When he got closer to the castle, he directed his broom upward, soaring up the side of the West Tower before coming to rest at the window to his dorm room.

He opened the window that he had unlocked before leaving and clambered inside, glancing around with a frown before looking down at the Map to see if Pettigrew was still there. He was. Taking a deep breath, Leo took out his wand. _Here goes nothing._

"_Homenum Revelio,_" he stated, pointing his wand in the general direction of where Pettigrew was supposed to be.

He felt a tingle run up his arm, and became acutely aware of the presence of the two other humans in the school. But not Pettigrew. He frowned, wondering if, perhaps, he was concealing himself in some other way he was not yet aware of. _Sirius will know, I just have to wait for his letter._

With a small sigh of disappointment, Leo climbed on his broom once more and took off toward the stadium, getting lower to the ground as he got closer. As he entered the locker room, he was able to hear some of Lee's renowned commentary.

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

Leo blinked, wondering just what exactly he had missed in the twenty or so minutes he had been gone.

"Slytherin in possession — Flint with the Quaffle — passes Spinnet — passes Bell — hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose — only joking, Professor — Slytherins score — A no..."

A few minutes passed before Leo felt a feeling of dread creep over him, which was quickly followed by loud gasps from the stands. Leo tore through the locker room, racing onto the pitch and turning to the sky where a look of abject horror settled on his face. Harry's broom gave a wild jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.

"Son of a -" Leo swore, mounting his broom and preparing to kick off.

He stopped his attempt to take to the skies when he saw the Weasleys fly up to try and pull Harry safely onto one of their brooms, but to no avail – every time they got near him, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell. Leo dashed further onto the pitch, wand pointed at the ground in case he needed to cast the Softening Charm.

It turned out to be unnecessary. Up in the air, Harry was suddenly able to clamber back on to his broom. Then, Harry was speeding toward the ground when Leo saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick — he hit the field on all fours — coughed — and something gold fell into his hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, prompting Leo to roar with laughter.

"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference — Harry hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results — Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Leo heard none of this, though. He was being made a cup of strong tea back in Hagrid's hut with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

"Have to agree with Hagrid on that one," Leo stated. "Snape may be a greasy-haired git, but I don't think he'd be stupid enough to try to kill the Boy-Who-Lived in front of the entire school."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another.

"I found out something about him," Harry told them. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Hagrid dropped the teapot.

"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.

"Fluffy?"

"Yeah — he's mine — bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year — I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the —"

"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to steal it."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid again.

"Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" cried Hermione.

"What makes you so sure he was trying to kill Harry?" Leo inquired with a tilt of his head. "Maybe he was trying to save him?"

"I know a jinx when I see one, Leo, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"Did you check to see if anyone else was doing it, Hermione? Or were you only focused on Snape?" Leo challenged.

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh — yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel —"

"Aha!" said Harry, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked furious with himself. Leo was just upset that no one seemed to be listening to him. He knew Snape didn't like him or Harry, but Leo didn't think the man would go out of his way and try to kill him. _There's something more to this – to everything – that we're just not seeing._


	12. Chapter 11: Letters Galore

Chapter 11: Letters Galore

_I convinced Siri not to come home for the holidays. _He_ would be there again, and I don't want him within a hundred leagues of my brothers – either of them. Unfortunately, with Reggie, I don't have much say in the matter. Siri was worried that he'd get in trouble for not attending, but I told him I'd cover for him. Rose seemed to notice how nervous I was about going home, because she won't stop fussing over me. I'd never admit it aloud, but I kind of enjoy it._

* * *

_Leo_

_It was such a relief to read your letter – to know that you believe me and still want to talk to me. It's always nice when there's at least one person who doesn't think you're - at the very least – half-mad._

_I don't think talking about yourself is egotistical – although, given James and I did nothing except talk about ourselves, I suppose I'm a little biased. I'm not entirely surprised you wound up in Gryffindor – your name all but guaranteed it, after all. My friends and I didn't start a food fight until our third year, so you're way ahead of us! I'd love to hear what other sort of mischief you've gotten yourself into. Perhaps nothing quite as dangerous as chasing after a giant three headed dog though, eh?_

_The mountain troll has me concerned. Trolls are very stupid, and I find it highly unlikely that one would wander down from the mountains and break into a school. Students know better than to tangle with trolls – and Peeves can't even leave the school. There's something not quite right about all of it, and you should stay aware of the people around you. As Cas always liked to say, "make friends and stay loyal, but always be prepared for a knife in the back"._

_The fact that you're an Elementalist comes as no surprise to me. You set Pettigrew's pants on fire when you were three months old. I'd never seen your father look prouder. Perhaps you knew there was something wrong with him as well? I wish I had listened and paid attention more, perhaps then both you and Harry would have your parents._

_You're on the Quidditch team in your first year? You must be quite brilliant to manage that. What position do you play, if I may ask? Cas was a Seeker, and I was a Beater. James was a Chaser. Cas always found that hilarious, given how many years he spent chasing after Lily._

_Happy Holidays!_

_Love,_

_Uncle Sirius_

_P.S.: I wish I could tell you, but I cannot. First and foremost because I do not want to put you in unnecessary danger by chasing after Pettigrew. Pettigrew was a problem I created, and should not be one my nephew should have to fix._

* * *

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins and Leo were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again. Apollo was one such owl, and Leo decided to wait until after Christmas to write his reply.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons. Leo was just grateful for his Elementalist abilities. His core temperature was higher than normal now that he had unlocked his powers, keeping him warm in the frosty chill of the castle.

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

"And I feel sorry for the people who have to ask for their parents' permission to make friends," Leo replied in a nonchalant tone, spooning syrup of hellebore into his cauldron. "Must be awful being unable to live your own life and think your own thoughts."

Draco's face turned red as he promptly clamped his mouth shut and remained silent for the remainder of the class. Leo allowed himself a satisfied smile as he stirred his potion. He and Harry had both discussed returning to Grimmauld Place during the Christmas holidays, but had ultimately decided against it. Their friends would be at the castle, and the bright halls were so much cheerier than the darkness of Grimmauld. Ron and his brothers were staying too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie. Leo was excited at this, it meant he and the twins could get up to no good together.

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm alright, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Draco's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose — that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

Leo grabbed Ron by the arm before responding with, "How much extra are you paying the brute squad to pretend to be your friends? I imagine it takes quite a bit to keep them on, since your winning personality tends to keep everyone else at bay."

Draco's face turned bright red as he pointed his wand and shouted, "_Flipendo_!"

"_Incindeo_," Leo replied quickly, conjuring a shield of fire in front of himself which swiftly dissipated the Knockback Jinx.

"BLACK!"

Leo turned his head, cursing slightly as the greasy-haired bat approached them.

"He was defendin' himself, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy attacked him first."

"Be that as it may, starting fires in the halls is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Ten points from Gryffindor, Black, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."

Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking. Leo merely pocketed his wand with a small shrug, staring after Draco with an inscrutable expression.

"I feel bad for him," Leo finally said once Draco was out of range.

"Let me guess: because he's not as good-looking as you?" Harry snorted with amusement.

"Or as clever," Hermione added with a grin.

"Or -"

"Yes, yes, you've made your point. I'm an egotistical git," Leo rolled his eyes, smiling slightly as he did so. "But isn't that what makes me so lovable?"

They all snorted with laughter before Harry sobered up enough to say, "I hate them both. Malfoy and Snape."

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

So the four of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where McGonagall and Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree — put it in the far corner, would you?"

The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.

"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me — Harry, Ron, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."

"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.

"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"

"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."

"I'm allergic to research, so I've been delightfully unhelpful," Leo grinned widely.

"You _what_?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here — I've told yeh — drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."

"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione.

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere — just give us a hint — I know I've read his name somewhere."

"I'm sayin' nothin', said Hagrid flatly.

"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library.

Leo waved farewell before being called over by McGonagall, who had him help hang ornaments and ribbons on the tree. While she had him working, she asked him various questions about how his extra studies were proceeding – studies that she had roped Flitwick into as well. So, now he had not just one, but two classes he had to do extra course work in. He wasn't terribly upset with it – he was learning new spells to add to his ever-increasing repertoire – but if they decided to pull Snape or Sprout into it, Leo would have to put his foot down.

She and Flitwick both decided to make a game of it and began tossing ornaments into the air for Leo to attempt to save. He swapped between the Levitation Charm and – if the ball was thrown too low (usually by Flitwick) - the Softening Charm. In the rare instances that he didn't get them in time, Leo would have to use the Repairing Charm to fix the broken baubles. All in all, it wasn't a terrible time. Leo would actually say that he quite enjoyed it. Any chance he had to show-off was alright with him.

* * *

Christmas dawned bright and early, with Harry, Ron, and Leo being the only three left in their dorm room. Leo was unceremoniously awoken from his sleep when a barrage of pillows were thrown at him. He sat up quickly, glaring angrily at Ron and Harry for disrupting his sleep. He had gotten in late with the Weasley twins last night after they had spent many hours setting various pranks up around the castle. Leo's favorite was the statue of armor in the dungeons just outside Snape's office that was charmed to sing 'Joy to the World' every time he passed by.

"Happy Christmas," said Harry, smiling brightly.

"Be a lot more happy if I got to sleep in," Leo grumbled, swinging his legs over his bed and walking over to his trunk.

He dug around a bit before finding two wrapped presents and tossing them each to Harry and Ron before closing it and sitting on his trunk in front of his own small pile. They both unwrapped them quickly, each equally delighted by what they received. Ron had gotten a Beater's bat signed by the members of his favorite Quidditch team – the Chudley Cannons. Leo had seen it up for auction in a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ he had nicked from Lavender and had bought it at a very cheap price. Harry had been given a rather handsome wristwatch, which he very quickly strapped onto his wrist.

They both thanked him profusely, which Leo waved away before picking up a package from Hagrid and opening it, revealing a wooden flute not dissimilar to the one Harry had received from him. From Harry, he received a few pink tie-dye shirts, eliciting a laugh from the blonde. Ron had given him a box of assorted chocolates; which Leo was dying to sink his teeth into. Fred and George had given him his own set of dungbombs, which Leo was already coming up with various ideas for. Lee had sent a box of stink pellets, which Leo was already planning on lobbing in cauldrons for the next potions class.

Another package contained a royal blue sweater and a large box of homemade fudge from Mrs. Weasley.

"Every year she makes us a sweater," said Ron, unwrapping his own, "and mine's always maroon."

"That's really nice of her," said Harry, trying his fudge, which was very tasty.

Leo's next present also contained candy — a large box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione.

All that was left was an envelope with a note attached, reading:

_Your father left this in my possession to give to you in case something should happen to him. Now seems the proper time for you to read it._

Leo felt that he had seen that handwriting somewhere before, but couldn't quite recall where. He read the front of the envelope, which bore his name in Castor Black's neat, flowing script. Leo stared at it for a moment before turning it over. He was about to open it when Ron gave a yell, prompting Leo to whip his head around and raise an eyebrow at Harry's body-less head.

"It _is_! Look down!" Ron exclaimed

Harry looked down at his feet, but they were gone. He dashed to the mirror. Sure enough, his reflection looked back at him, just his head suspended in midair, his body completely invisible. He pulled something over his head and his reflection vanished completely.

"There's a note!" said Ron suddenly. "A note fell out of it!"

Harry pulled off what Leo now realized was a cloak and seized the letter. Ron was admiring the cloak.

"I'd give _anything_ for one of these," he said. "_Anything._ What's the matter?"

"Nothing," said Harry, exchanging a swift glance with Leo.

Leo understood at once, Harry had received something from his father as well. Before he could say or think anything else, the dormitory door was flung open and Fred and George Weasley bounded in. Harry stuffed the cloak quickly out of sight.

"Happy Christmas!"

"Hey, look — Harry and Leo've got Weasley sweaters, too!"

Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the otheer a G. Leo figured Mrs. Weasley was trying to make it easier to identify who was who. He could already see it back-firing spectacularly.

"Theirs are better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up Harry's sweater. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."

"Come off it, that's not true," Leo snorted. "She's obviously made more of an effort because Harry and I are more attractive and exotic than the rest of you lot."

Fred lobbed a pillow at him.

"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm."

"I hate maroon," Ron moaned halfheartedly as he pulled it over his head.

"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid — we know we're called Gred and Forge."

"What's all this noise?"

Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving. He had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too, carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred seized.

"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Harry and Leo got one."

"I thought the 'P' stood for ponce," Leo smiled brightly.

"I — don't — want —" said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew.

"And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," said George. "Christmas is a time for family."

They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by his sweater.

Leo had never in all his life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce – and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. These fantastic party favors were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought, with their little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats inside. Harry pulled a wizard cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice. Leo seized the hat and wore it for the rest of the night. Up at the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet, and was chuckling merrily at a joke Flitwick had just read him.

Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Percy nearly broke his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice. Leo snickered, high-fiving the Weasley twins under the table.

When Leo finally left the table, he was laden down with a stack of things out of the crackers, including a pack of nonexplodable, luminous balloons (which he would very quickly 'fix'), a handful of owl treats that he would gift to Apollo, and necklace with a dragon-shaped pendant that he decided should go to Sirius. The white mice had disappeared and Leo had a nasty feeling they were going to end up as Mrs. Norris's Christmas dinner.

Harry, Leo, and the Weasleys spent a happy afternoon having a furious snowball fight on the grounds. Then, cold, wet, and gasping for breath, they returned to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, where Harry broke in his new chess set by losing spectacularly to Ron.

After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred, George, and Leo all over Gryffindor tower because they'd stolen his prefect badge.

Leo was more than happy to return to his bed that night until he spotted the letter from his father that still lay unopened on the bed. He stared at it silently for a moment before climbing into bed, closing the hangings and lighting his wand. With shaking fingers, Leo slowly opened the letter and read:

_Leo,_

_My light. My son. My little lion. If you are reading this, then I fear the worst has come to pass, and I am no longer able to be with you. I cannot tell you how much the very thought saddens me – that I will never see the beautiful baby boy I just put to bed grow up into the intelligent, handsome, compassionate man that I know you will one day become._

_I wanted you to have a different upbringing than I did – one full of laughter and love and support from everyone. A family you could lean on and rely on to protect and nurture you. I still hope that you have that, even if I am not there to bear witness to it. I still hope you have your mum and James and Lily and Harry and Remy and Siri. All those people are important to me – and I hope they are still important to you._

_Hope. I use that word often. Because that's all I can do is hope. Hope that my friends and family made it through the war okay. Hope that old Moldyshorts was vanquished. Hope that you grew up loved and happy. Hope that I'm wrong about Pettigrew._

_Pettigrew... if that rat is still alive, you need to be wary__, __Leo. I don't trust that rat – never have, never will. I've suspected for a while now that he's been working for old Moldy, but James wouldn't hear anything about it. Neither would Remy or Siri. They don't understand that he's dangerous. Cowards that cling to the strong usually are._

_I can't do much now but warn you – prepare you – and hope that you'll at least heed my warnings. Don't trust Pettigrew, as I've always said. Be wary of Dumbledore. He fights for the light, but he's always scheming and has no issues sacrificing others for the 'Greater Good'. Trust Remy. Trust Minnie. And, above all, trust your family._

_I hope that you will never have to read this, but that is all I can do. Hope._

_Love, forever and always,_

_Dad_

* * *

"-eo. Leo. Leo!"

"Hmm? What?" Leo replied absentmindedly, jerking his head up at the sound of his name.

"You weren't listening, were you?" Harry questioned in an irritated tone.

"Honestly? Not a word," Leo shrugged in response.

It was the morning after Christmas – Boxing Day – and Leo still couldn't stop thinking about the letter his dad had left him. Reading about all the hopes and dreams he had had for him, the boundless love that seemed to emanate from every word on the page made Leo feel incredibly guilty. All these years, he had thought that his dad had been some sort of deadbeat who had never wanted a child and ditched him the at the first possible moment. Now he knew he couldn't have been more wrong. His dad loved him, wanted him, and cared for him more than Leo could ever fathom.

However, that wasn't all that got Leo thinking. It was the warnings at the end of the letter. He knew the one about Pettigrew, but Dumbledore came as quite a bit of a shock. Part of him didn't want to believe what his father was saying about the old man – he seemed to be quite kind and caring after all. Then again, Pettigrew had fooled everyone except his father for years, so perhaps his father was right about Dumbledore as well? He shook his head. He would have to be wary, as his father had said.

"I told you, there's a magic mirror that showed me my parents," Harry repeated, excitement creeping into his tone. "Maybe you can see yours too, Leo!"

Leo was silent for a moment, his lips pursed as he sipped his tea before saying, "No thanks."

Harry looked dumbfounded.

"But-but why not?" he inquired. "I thought that all you've ever wanted – more than anything – was to have your family back together."

"It is."

"Then why-?"

"Because it's not real, Harry," Leo finally snapped, stunning the boy. "You said it yourself, it's a magic mirror. It'll show me my family, yes. But all that will do is remind me of something I can never have. I don't want any part of it – and you shouldn't either."

He got up and left the table, leaving Harry looking quite stricken.


	13. Chapter 12: What You Want

**Chapter 12: What You Want**

_They killed her. That poor Muggle woman. Bellatrix's fiancé, Rodolphus, had brought an old Muggle woman to the Christmas Ball for 'fun'. People took turns casting the Cruciatus curse on her – I can still hear her screams ringing in my ears even as I write. _He_ looked on in amusement, now and again looking at me to gauge my reaction. I gave nothing away. Not the horror or disgust I felt. The terror I kept firmly locked away, even as Bella gleefully cackled over the woman's screams. Siri noticed something was wrong with me and asked what had happened. I only told him that I hated Christmas._

* * *

_Uncle Sirius_

_I never said you were sane, just that your story was. One thing I've managed to learn about our family is that we're all barking – some moreso than others._

_In all Siriusness (see what I did there?), I understand the feeling. Most everyone here believes I'm quite mad. I ignore it most times – and believe it others – but it still twinges a bit to hear it, especially when it's from the people I care about. Not that I'd ever admit it, of course._

_I had the exact same feeling about the troll, particularly when Harry mentioned one of our teachers getting bit by Fluffy that same night. The troll was obviously a diversion meant to give someone an opportunity to find whatever Fluffy's guarding. I just wish I knew what it was. Fluffy has no idea what it is either. Luckily, my friends are hard at work trying to figure it out._

_I play reserve Seeker. Harry got the big part as Seeker. Doesn't really bother me, to be perfectly honest. It's about time he got recognition for one of his talents._

_Speaking of, someone was jinxing Harry's broom during his first match and he almost fell off. Luckily, whoever was jinxing him had their concentration broken and he was able to climb back on. He swooped downward and ended up catching the Snitch in his mouth. It was probably the most hilarious thing I'd ever seen. The Slytherin team captain was fuming!_

_On a happier note, myself and a couple of fellow mischief makers set up pranks all around the castle the night before Christmas. I charmed a suit of armor outside of our grumpy potions teacher's office to sing 'Joy to the World' every time he passes by. He took the charm off, so I had to change it to 'Ode to Joy', then the 'Rubber Duckie Song' (it's from a Muggle telly show). Snape's face gets redder and redder every time I see him. It's brilliant._

_Anyway, I hope you like your present. I couldn't think of what else to get you, but I figured one present after ten years is better than nothing, right?_

_Cheers,_

_Leo_

_P.S.: Sure I can't change your mind about Pettigrew?_

_P.P.S.: That line you quoted my dad saying in your last letter, where did he hear it from?_

* * *

"Oi! Black!"

Leo withheld a sigh as he turned around, raising an eyebrow as Draco Malfoy approached him. Alone. Leo stuck his hand inside his robes, fingers wrapped tightly around his wand just in case Draco pulled something. The Slytherin stopped in front of him before jerking his head in the direction of an unused classroom and walking towards it. Leo warily followed him, closing the door behind him and watching carefully as Draco reached into his pocket and pulled out an ornate glass ball with a green flame flickering inside it.

"What is this?" he demanded.

"Most cultures refer to the shape as a 'sphere' or 'ball'," Leo replied sarcastically. "Others call it a present, a peace offering, or a sign of friendship. Whatever floats your proverbial boat."

Draco's eyes narrowed.

"A 'sign of friendship'? I thought you didn't want to be my friend."

"I never said that," Leo corrected him. "I said I didn't want to be your friend if your dad was forcing you into it." He paused for a moment. "I want to be your friend, Draco. But only if that's what you want. Is it what you want?"

Draco was silent, staring at the ball in his hand.

"I don't know," he finally said. "No one's ever asked me what I wanted before."

"Well, now you have a chance to decide something for yourself – a chance to be yourself. That's what I'm offering, Draco. An opportunity to be who you want to be, without any fears or worries or expectations to live up to. That's what I'm offering in this friendship: a chance for you to be you," Leo held out his hand.

Draco looked hesitant for a moment, seeming deeply conflicted. After a few seconds, he slowly reached his hand out, grasping Leo's, who tightened his grip. Leo gave a bright smile, and Draco managed a somewhat nervous one in return.

* * *

Quidditch practice had started again.

Wood was working the team harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow couldn't dampen his spirits. The Weasleys complained that Wood was becoming a fanatic, and Leo was inclined to agree. He felt Wood was taking the fun and freedom out of Quidditch – though he did understand Wood's need to win. Leo himself was highly competitive, but he could usually let it go when it interfered with his ability to have fun and make mischief.

During one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Wood gave the team a bit of bad news. He'd just gotten very angry with the Weasleys and Leo, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off their brooms.

"Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"

George Weasley really did fall off his broom at these words, eliciting a roar of laughter from Leo.

"Snape's refereeing?" he spluttered through a mouthful of mud. "When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin."

The rest of the team landed next to George to complain, too.

"It's not my fault," said Wood. "We've just got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us."

"Well," Leo began. "There is one upside to this: Snape'll look hilarious in referee's clothes. Especially after a few... modifications."

"No," Wood said sternly.

"But-"

"I said no."

Leo folded his arms over his chest and pouted.

The rest of the team hung back to talk to one another as usual at the end of practice, but Harry dragged Leo away from them and headed straight back to the Gryffindor common room, where they found Ron and Hermione playing chess. Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something Harry and Ron thought was very good for her. Leo reckoned he could also take her in a duel, but didn't feel the inclination to challenge her.

"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Harry sat down next to him, "I need to concen—" He caught sight of Harry's face. "What's the matter with you? You look terrible."

Speaking quietly so that no one else would hear, Harry told the other two about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee.

"Don't play," said Hermione at once.

"Say you're ill," said Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.

"Really break your leg," said Ron.

"I can't," said Harry. "Leo's the reserve Seeker, and I'm pretty sure Snape hates him more than me. Wouldn't be surprised if he launched Bludgers at him on principal."

"It would make for a very interesting game," Leo conceded, settling into a nearby armchair.

At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognized at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor tower.

Everyone fell over laughing except Hermione, who leapt up and performed the counter curse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling.

"What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with Harry, Ron, and Leo.

"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."

Leo let out a groan. Despite the fact that he and Draco had officially become friends a few weeks ago, Leo was still having trouble helping him shave off the more... 'Lucius' parts of his personality. They were making some decent progress, however. Leo had helped him kick the habit of saying 'Mudblood' and had gotten him to admit that he didn't want to work at the Ministry like his father wanted; he wanted to be a star Quidditch player.

Leo encouraged this. Getting Draco to figure out what he wanted and to admit it out loud was a big first step on the road to personal change and growth. Unfortunately, every time he was around his Slytherin friends, Draco seemed to backslide.

"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!"

Neville shook his head.

"I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked out.

"Dunno, I reckon you're pretty brave, Neville," Leo told him. "It takes a lot of courage and bravery to keep getting up after being knocked down. Some people just stay there or cower behind stronger people. You don't do either of those things. You're not afraid to be afraid, and that makes you braver than most."

"Thanks, Leo," Neville sniffed.

Harry felt in the pocket of his robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog. He gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Harry said. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."

"Oi, I take offense to that," Leo said reproachfully. "The hat considered putting me in Slytherin for a moment."

Everyone stared at him in disbelief. Leo was the most Gryffindor person any of them had ever met in their entire lives.

"It ultimately decided against it, saying I 'lack ambition' and have 'no sense of self-preservation whatsoever'. Whatever that means," Leo snorted.

"Self-preservation is the protection of oneself from harm or death. It's a basic human instinct," Hermione informed him, an edge of amusement in her tone.

Leo took a moment to think about this before shrugging and saying, "Yeah, that sounds about right."

Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the frog.

"Thanks, Harry... I think I'll go to bed... D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?"

As Neville walked away, Harry looked at the Famous Wizard card.

"Dumbledore again," he said, "He was the first one I ever —"

He gasped. He stared at the back of the card. Then he looked up at his friends.

"I've _found_ him!" he whispered. "I've found Flamel! I _told_ you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here — listen to this: 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, _and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel_'!"

Hermione jumped to her feet. She hadn't looked so excited since they'd gotten back the marks for their very first piece of homework.

"Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. Leo, Harry, and Ron barely had time to exchange mystified looks before she was dashing back, an enormous old book in her arms.

"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."

"_Light_?" said Ron, but Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to herself.

At last she found what she was looking for.

"I knew it! I _knew_ it!"

"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily.

"Personally, I was enjoying the quiet," Leo grinned at him.

Hermione ignored them both.

"_Nicolas Flamel_," she whispered dramatically, "_is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone_!"

Leo glanced at the other two before saying, "You've lost us."

"Oh, honestly, don't you three read-?"

"Not books," Leo said.

"Look – read that, there."

She pushed the book toward them, and Harry and Ron read whilst Leo lounged in his armchair. While they were reading, Hermione gave an irate sigh before giving Leo the shortened version of what their other friends were learning. The Philosopher's Stone could transform any metal into pure gold. It also produced the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal.

Personally, Leo felt that immortality was overrated. Part of the fun of life was knowing it could end at any moment. As for gold... well, Leo had more money than he could spend in several lifetimes. Not to mention the fact that gold only had value because people gave it value. All in all, the blonde felt that the Stone was a load of rubbish not worth his or anyone else's time.

"See?" said Hermione, when Harry and Ron had finished. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Harry. "No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it."

"I don't want it. Doubt Snape wants it either. Bastard seems miserable enough with the life he's got – why would he want to extend it?" Leo commented.

Once more, his defense of Snape fell on deaf ears.

"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that _Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry,_" said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"

The next morning in Defense Against the Dark Arts, while copying down different ways of treating werewolf bites, Harry and Ron were still discussing what they'd do with a Philosopher's Stone if they had one – much to Leo's irritation. It wasn't until Ron said he'd buy his own Quidditch team that Harry remembered about Snape and the coming match.

"I'm going to play," he told Leo, Ron, and Hermione. "If I don't, all the Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show them... it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win."

"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," said Hermione.

"That's encouraging," Leo remarked in a dry tone.

The rest of the team wasn't too calm about the idea of Snape refereeing. The idea of overtaking Slytherin in the house championship was wonderful, no one had done it for seven years, but would they be allowed to, with such a biased referee?

The following afternoon in the locker room, Wood had taken Harry aside.

"Don't want to pressure you, Potter, but if we ever need an early capture of the Snitch it's now. Finish the game before Snape can favor Hufflepuff too much."

"The whole school's out there!" said Fred Weasley, peering out of the door. "Even — blimey — Dumbledore's come to watch!"

"Splendid," Leo said, barely turning his head from where he was laying on one of the benches.

He gave the team a mock salute as they headed off for the pitch, keeping his ears pricked for any sign that Harry might be in trouble. Five minutes passed, and Leo heard cheers erupt from the stands. _Guess we won._ The blonde sat up and walked out of the locker room and onto the pitch. The rest of the Gryffindors were swarming the pitch, circling around their Quidditch team. Leo hovered awkwardly near the edge of the pitch before turning around and heading back into the locker room.

He changed into his regular clothes, put his broom away, and walked onto the grounds, headed toward the castle. On the way there, he spotted Draco and his cronies all looking a bit worse for wear.

"You look a right mess," Leo commented as he walked up to them.

Draco glanced at Crabbe and Goyle before dismissing them, leaving him alone to walk with Leo.

"Your friend Weasley did this," Draco complained, gesturing to his slowly forming black eye.

"Were you being a git?" Leo questioned.

Draco was quiet for a moment before saying, "I only really mentioned how poor he was. Weasley overreacted -"

"I grew up without any money," Leo informed him. "I was poorer than the Weasleys. I had to make do with whatever clothing I could steal or that my fatarse cousin outgrew. Am I somehow lesser than you because of that? Do you think you're better than me, Draco?"

Draco was silent again before mumbling out, "No."

"Then why should you think lesser of the Weasleys because of it? What they may lack in wealth, they more than make up for in love. They're there for each other – constantly supporting each other in the pursuit of their individual dreams. Can you say the same thing about your family?" Leo inquired, receiving a head shake in response.

"I want to do that for you, Draco. I want to support and encourage your dreams, but it's hard to do that when you put yourself above others so often and attack people just because they're different than you. You're doing what Lucius wants, not what Draco wants."

"... And what is it that I want?" Draco finally asked him after a moment of silence.

"You tell me," Leo shrugged before forging on ahead.


	14. Chapter 13: Getting Old

Chapter 13: Getting Old

_Siri, Remy, and Rose won't stop badgering me over what happened Christmas break. They seem to think that, whatever it is, is detrimental to my health. They say I haven't been eating or sleeping – but, how can I? Every time I close my eyes, I see her face, hear her screams. The only solace I've found is during my wanderings in the Forbidden Forest and those rare full moon nights. I don't have to think, don't have to remember. I can just be._

* * *

_Leo,_

_Thank you for the gift, it was quite lovely having something new – something given to me – after ten years of having nothing. I'll cherish it always._

_Now, let's get down to business: SEVERUS BLOODY SNAPE IS YOUR POTIONS TEACHER?!_

_What the bloody hell is Dumbledore playing at?! Everybody knows Snivellus worked for ruddy Voldemort, so why would Dumbledore hire him – it makes no bloody sense! You'd better be careful, Leo. Snape may be a greasy, oily haired git but he's a tough bastard – you don't want to cross him._

_At least, that's what I'd like to say. The Marauder in me is telling me to encourage you to continue the pranks, and even wants to offer a few ideas. Something involving soap, perhaps?_

_I wasn't aware that you and Harry were still together – it's a relief knowing you two weren't separated. Judging by what you said, I'm assuming Harry is in Gryffindor as well? The teachers must be sweating – a Black and a Potter in Gryffindor again! I can only imagine the pranks you and Harry have pulled._

_I'm glad to hear that Harry made it out of his first match unscathed. Did you ever find out which teacher was jinxing Harry's broom? I'd wager everything in my vault that it was Snivellus. If he did that, he probably let the troll in as well. What is it that he could possibly be after? Let me know what you find out._

_Hope the rest of your year is going well._

_Love,_

_Uncle Sirius_

_P.S.: I'm positive._

_P.P.S.: It was something Cas came up with at one of the pure-blood parties we were forced to frequent as children. It caught on with the younger crowd, and it's not uncommon to hear in the pure-blood circles._

* * *

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were being secretive. Ever since that last Quidditch match, Leo would often find them huddled together, talking amongst themselves only to quiet down and switch topics when Leo approached. The blonde quickly got the message and started hanging around the Weasley twins or Draco, who had made enormous strides since their talk after the Quidditch game.

Draco no longer went out of his way to bully and hex people, but nor did he offer a helping hand or step in when one of his mates was doing the bullying. He did, however, confide in Leo that he didn't get that much enjoyment out of watching what his housemates were doing. This, by no means, made Draco a kind person – simply one who was still growing and developing. Leo feared what would happen once Draco went back home and was cut off from his influence.

Unfortunately, Leo had to cut down on his 'Draco time' once the Easter holidays hit and everyone began rushing to the library to study for exams. This often left Leo either alone in the common room or wandering the halls, hoping to find a secret passage that the Weasley twins and the Marauders had yet to find.

On one such afternoon, he was walking by the library when he bumped into Hagrid, who was leaving. A book fell from his arms which Leo swiftly picked up with a mumbled apology. He glanced over the cover, which read: _Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit_. Leo looked at Hagrid, mouth agape as the bearded man took the book from him, pressing a finger to his lips.

Leo raised an eyebrow, looking at the book then back at Hagrid's face. The large man gestured for Leo to follow him before walking down the hall and making his way toward the Grand Staircase. Leo followed him down the stairs, out the double doors, and across the grounds all the way to his hut. Once in there, Leo noticed that the room was quite a bit hotter than what he was normally used to. All the curtains were drawn and a fire was roaring in the fireplace. But, that's not all that was in there.

"Bloody hell, Hagrid, is that a dragon egg?" Leo inquired eagerly, walking closer and peering into the flames.

"Aye, tha' it is, Leo," Hagrid drew himself up proudly before bustling around to make tea. "I've always wanted a dragon."

"Wicked," Leo grinned, sitting on the carpet in front of the fire. "Y'know, I saw a dragon once."

"Really?" Hagrid asked, the excitement audible in his voice. "When? What was it like?"

"Gringotts, and it was awful," Leo frowned, taking a sip of the tea Hagrid handed him. "The goblins treated the poor thing so horribly, you should have seen him. Mostly blind, scarred, chained up, and terrified." He took another sip. "Just to guard a bunch of rich old people's vaults."

"Gee, thas awful, Leo," Hagrid said sympathetically, patting the boy's shoulder and almost causing him to fall forward. "Wish yeh hadn'ta seen tha'. The goblins should know be'er than to treat a dragon like tha'. Specially after everything thas been done ter them."

Leo hummed in response as a knock sounded on Hagrid's door. Hagrid called out, asking who was there before opening the door and allowing Harry, Ron, and Hermione in before swiftly closing the door behind them.

"Leo, what're you doing here?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Same reason you are, I imagine," Leo replied, holding up his teacup. "Great tea and even better company."

Hagrid set about making the rest of them tea before saying, "So — yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"

"Yes," said Harry. "We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Philosopher's Stone apart from Fluffy."

Hagrid frowned at him.

"O' course I can't," he said. "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts — I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."

"Hard not to know about him. Big handsome fella like that doesn't go unnoticed for long," Leo stated, sipping his tea. "Plus, Dumbledore sort of pointed a huge sign at his door at the beginning of the year by telling everyone not to go near his room."

Hermione decided to get the conversation back on track.

"Come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that goes on around here," she said in a warm, flattering voice. Hagrid's beard twitched and they could tell he was smiling. "We only wondered who had done the guarding, really." Hermione went on. "We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."

_Wow. That's down right manipulative. Surprised the Hat didn't consider her for Slytherin._ Leo mused, impressed despite himself.

"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that... let's see... he borrowed Fluffy from me... then some o' the teachers did enchantments... Professor Sprout — Professor Flitwick — Professor McGonagall —" he ticked them off on his fingers, "Professor Quirrell — an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."

"Snape?"

"Yeah — yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."

Leo remained quiet, silently sipping his tea. In his gut, he knew Snape wasn't trying to steal the Stone – why would he? But the letter he had received from Sirius gave him pause. Snape used to work for Voldemort until Dumbledore hired him. But why would Dumbledore hire one of Voldemort's old followers to work in a school full of children? _He's always scheming._ Castor's words echoed in Leo's head.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy. Aren't you, Hagrid?" said Harry anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"

Leo decided not to mention that he could probably get past Fluffy he really wanted to. They were good friends, after all.

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.

"Well, that's something," Harry muttered to the others. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling."

"Can't, Harry, sorry," said Hagrid, looking at the fire.

Harry followed his gaze.

"Hagrid — what's that?"

"Ah," said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard, "That's — er..."

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune."

"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Hermione.

"Well, I've bin doin' some readin'," said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library —_Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit_ — it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on I em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here — how ter recognize diff'rent eggs — what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione didn't.

"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," she said.

"The danger's what makes it fun," Leo grinned, sipping his tea.

But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the fire.

So now they had something else to worry about: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut.

"Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighed, as evening after evening they struggled through all the extra homework they were getting.

"Incredibly boring," Leo replied, twirling his quill.

Hermione had now started making study schedules for Harry and Ron, too. It was driving them nuts. She had tried making one for Leo, but he bolted from the room any time she brought it up. She gave up trying altogether.

Then, one breakfast time, Hedwig brought Harry another note from Hagrid. He had written only two words: _It's hatching._

Leo and Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down to the hut. Hermione wouldn't hear of it.

"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?" the ginger complained.

"Depending on your career choice, it can range from never to daily," Leo answered, walking backwards towards the greenhouses as he talked to them.

"We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing—" Hermione began.

"Shut up!" Harry whispered.

Draco was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen. Leo gave a polite wave and Draco inclined his head before walking off.

Ron and Hermione argued all the way to Herbology and in the end, Hermione agreed to run down to Hagrid's with the other three during morning break. Leo was planning to go regardless of what the rest decided. When the bell sounded from the castle at the end of their lesson, the four of them dropped their trowels at once and hurried through the grounds to the edge of the forest. Hagrid greeted them, looking flushed and excited.

"It's nearly out." He ushered them inside.

The egg was lying on the table. There were deep cracks in it. Something was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from it.

They all drew their chairs up to the table and watched with bated breath.

All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped onto the table. Leo thought it was gorgeous. Then again, he was usually of the mind that giant things that could eat you were amazing, so his opinions were pretty askew. Its spiny wings were huge compared to its skinny jet black body, it had a long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes.

It sneezed. A couple of sparks flew out of its snout.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs.

"Yes, but I'm pretty sure _he_ is a _she_," Leo stated, receiving a grateful look from the dragon. "She doesn't like it when you assume her gender."

"Bless her, look, she knows her mommy!" said Hagrid, accepting Leo's words and amending his pronouns.

"Hagrid," said Hermione, "how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"

Hagrid was about to answer when the color suddenly drained from his face — he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.

"What's the matter?"

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains — it's a kid — he's runnin' back up ter the school."

_Oh, bollocks. It must be Draco._ Leo groaned, face-palming. The dragon just stared at him curiously in response.

Over the course of the next week, the four spent most of their free time in Hagrid's darkened hut, trying to reason with him about what to do with the dragon. Or, at least, everyone but Leo was trying to reason with him. Leo was quite content to let the dragon stay, she was quite fascinating to talk to, after all.

"Just let her go," Harry urged. "Set her free."

"I can't," said Hagrid. "She's too little. She'd die."

They looked at the dragon. She had grown three times in length in just a week. Smoke kept furling out of her nostrils. Hagrid hadn't been doing his game-keeping duties because the dragon was keeping him so busy. There were empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers all over the floor.

"I've decided to call her Norberta," said Hagrid, looking at the dragon with misty eyes. "She really knows me now, watch. Norberta! Norberta! Where's Mommy?"

Norberta gave Leo a sidelong glance, prompting him to roll his eyes.

"Just humor him. You'll break his heart if you don't," Leo advised.

She seemed to sigh before walking over to Hagrid, giving a little greeting chirp.

"They've lost their marbles," Ron muttered in Harry's ear.

"Can't lose what you never had, Ronald," Leo told him, running his finger along Norberta's spine.

"Hagrid," said Harry loudly, "give it two weeks and Norberta's going to be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."

"Nah, if anything Draco would go to Snape or his father. Maybe McGonagall if he's really desperate," Leo grinned as Norberta rubbed her head against his hand.

That seemed to terrify Hagrid even more.

"I — I know I can't keep her forever, but I can't jus' dump her, I can't."

Harry suddenly turned to Ron. "Charlie." he said.

"You're losing it, too," said Ron. "I'm Ron, remember?"

"No — Charlie — your brother, Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons. We could send Norberta to him. Charlie can take care of her and then put her back in the wild!"

"Brilliant!" said Ron. "How about it, Hagrid?"

And in the end, Hagrid agreed that they could send an owl to Charlie to ask him. Leo was most disappointed by this turn of events. Dreams of flying around Hogwarts on the back of a dragon were swiftly dashed away.

The following week dragged by. Wednesday night found Leo, Hermione, and Harry sitting alone in the common room, long after everyone else had gone to bed. The clock on the wall had just chimed midnight when the portrait hole burst open. Ron appeared out of nowhere as he pulled off Harry's invisibility cloak. He had been down at Hagrid's hut, helping him feed Norberta, who was now eating dead rats by the crate.

"It bit me!" he said, showing them his hand, which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby."

"Probably should have mentioned Norberta doesn't like you," Leo scratched his head. "She finds redheads startling."

Ron opened his mouth to respond when he was interrupted by a tap on the dark window.

"It's Hedwig!" said Harry, hurrying to let her in. "She'll have Charlie's answer!"

Leo lounged back in his chair, figuring they'd just tell him what was going on once they were done reading the letter. He was proven correct when Harry informed him that they'd be heading up to the tallest tower on midnight on Saturday. Leo said he didn't have any plans that night, and he was quiet looking forward to a bit of rule-breaking.

There was a hitch. By the next morning, Ron's bitten hand had swollen to twice its usual size. He didn't know whether it was safe to go to Madam Pomfrey — would she recognize a dragon bite? By the afternoon, though, he had no choice. The cut had turned a nasty shade of green. It looked as if Norberta's fangs were poisonous.

Leo, Harry, and Hermione rushed up to the hospital wing at the end of the day to find Ron in a terrible state in bed. "It's not just my hand," he whispered, "although that feels like it's about to fall off. Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books so he could come and have a good laugh at me. He kept threatening to tell her what really bit me — I've told her it was a dog, but I don't think she believes me — I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this."

Leo pursed his lips.

"It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," said Hermione, but this didn't soothe Ron at all. On the contrary, he sat bolt upright and broke into a sweat.

"Midnight on Saturday!" he said in a hoarse voice. "Oh no oh no — I've just remembered — Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norberta."

The other three didn't get a chance to answer. Madam Pomfrey came over at that moment and made them leave, saying Ron needed sleep.

"It's too late to change the plan now," Harry told the two of them. "We haven't got time to send Charlie another owl, and this could be our only chance to get rid of Norberta. We'll have to risk it. And we have got the invisibility cloak, Malfoy doesn't know about that."

"I can handle Draco, you two just focus on getting Norberta up the tower and off to her new home," Leo informed them.

The two seemed reluctant to let him deal with Draco on his own, but eventually relented.

* * *

Later that night, Leo was hidden in an archway of the dungeons, Map in his hands as he waited for Draco to appear out of the common room. It didn't take long for him to appear, strutting down the hall with nary a care in the world. Leo took that opportunity to wipe the Map before reaching forward, grabbing Draco by the arm and pulling him into the shadows. He clapped his hand over the Slytherin's mouth, cutting off his scream.

When Draco noticed it was him, he relaxed before pulling his hand off and saying in a very cross tone, "What're you playing at?"

"Stopping you from being a wanker," Leo responded. "Were you really about to tell on me?"

Draco opened and shut his mouth, kicking the ground with his heel before he said, "I didn't think about you."

"Yeah, that's pretty typical," Leo shrugged. "Can't believe you were going to sell out me and my mates, though."

"Weasley gave me a black eye!"

"You mocked him for being poor," Leo shot back.

Draco looked angry, though he was nowhere near as irate as Leo. The little lion pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaling and exhaling before running a hand down his face.

"This is getting old, Draco," Leo finally said. "You need to stop turning every slight into a personal revenge mission. Pick and choose your battles – don't take small things and make them big. Stop making everything personal. Stop feeling like you have something to prove because you don't. You don't need to be something you're not just to get attention -"

"I'm not!" Draco objected hotly.

"Then tell me Draco: why are you here? Is getting people in trouble for doing the right thing something you truly want?" Leo asked, receiving silence in return. "I thought as much. I think we're done here."

"I should say so, Mr. Black," spoke a sharp yet dry voice behind them.

Leo whirled around, finding himself face-to-face with McGonagall. _Bugger. _He suppressed a groan, noting out of the corner of his eye how pale Draco turned.

"Mr. Black, Mr. Malfoy, care to explain what you're doing out of bed this late at night?" McGonagall asked.

Draco seemed at a loss for words, prompting Leo to step in and say, "It was my fault, Professor. I was on my way to re-charm that armor when Draco heard me coming down the hall. He tried to convince me to leave but... well, you know how stubborn I am."

Draco stared at him, gobsmacked at the bold-faced lie.

"Mr. Malfoy, is this true?"

Draco seemed to debate objecting when he felt sudden pressure on his foot as Leo stepped on it. He nodded mutely, not trusting himself to speak. McGonagall was silent for a moment before dismissing him. She then turned back to Leo.

"Mr. Black, I cannot begin to express my disappointment in you. Detention and thirty points from Gryffindor."


	15. Chapter 14: Knight

**Chapter 14: Knight**

_Professor McGonagall called me to her office today. I thought for a moment that she had discovered that I was the one who turned Malfoy's hair blue and not Siri and James. She told me to sit down and offered me a biscuit. It was very bizarre. All she wanted to do was talk. She didn't force me to talk about what happened over Christmas but instead told me stories. She talked about the war with Grindewald and some of the fights she had been in. Her life growing up with a Muggle father and witch mother. It was nice to just listen for a change. She scheduled an appointment for next week for us to talk again. I'm looking forward to it._

* * *

Leo was not the only one caught out of bounds that night. Hermione, Harry, and – surprisingly – Neville were all caught and escorted to McGonagall's office. They lost fifty points each and were given detention. The three of them were quite upset. Their actions had caused a grand total of a hundred eighty points to be taken from Gryffindor, wiping away any chances they may have had of winning the house cup.

At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hourglasses that recorded the house points the next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they suddenly have almost two hundred points fewer than yesterday? And then the story started to spread: Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter, their hero of two Quidditch matches, had lost them all those points, him and three other stupid first years.

From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on him, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the house cup. Everywhere Harry went, people pointed and didn't trouble to lower their voices as they insulted him - though they took great care not to do so within earshot of Leo, given his propensity to defend his cousin with violence. Slytherins, on the other hand, clapped as he walked past them, whistling and cheering, "Thanks Potter, we owe you one!"

Draco had the decency to look ashamed. He pulled Leo aside the next day, demanding to know why Leo had lied to save him. Leo had frowned, seeming confused at the question and surprised that Draco even had to ask.

"Because we're mates. Mates always have each other's backs."

"But - we were fighting -"

"That doesn't stop us from being friends, Draco," Leo shrugged. "I always stand up for and protect my friends, even if we aren't on good terms."

He then left, leaving Draco standing there, a shocked expression on his face. Students jeered at him as he passed by, the same insults he had heard earlier that year returning with a vengeance. There was, however, one crucial difference: he knew the truth. Sirius was innocent and his father was a good man. Those two facts kept his spirits up, allowing him to ignore what everyone else was saying.

Aside from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, the Weasley twins were the only ones who still spoke to Leo. They were under the impression that he had been caught pulling a prank unrelated to what the other three Gryffindors were doing that cost them all those points. Leo didn't bother to correct them. He wouldn't have been able to bear it if the first friends he had ever made turned against him.

A week before exams started, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione, Leo, and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:

_Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight._

_Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall. _

_Professor McGonagall_

At eleven o'clock that night, they said good-bye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there waiting for them. Leo didn't think he'd ever seen him look so gleeful.

"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.

"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them.

"Not really, no," Leo replied honestly, earning a glare from the man.

"It's a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. Leo wondered what their punishment was going to be. _It must be something really horrible or really dangerous, otherwise Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted._ Leo hoped it was the latter of the two.

The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Leo could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."

Leo grew excited at this. This was a man who had thought keeping a dragon in his house was a grand idea. There was bound to be some sort of danger involved now. His excitement must have shown in his face, because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy — it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

"Promise?" Leo asked gleefully, suppressing the urge to bounce up and down in excitement.

Filch looked at him oddly.

"You're an odd one, Black."

"Why, thank you," Leo gave a sweeping bow.

Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.

"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione, Leo?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all."

_This feels more like a reward, but okay_.

"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

He led them to the very edge of the forest, Leo practically skipping on the way over. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.

"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" Leo asked, barely containing his excitement. "Will we get to fight it?"

"I 'preciate the enthusiasm, Leo," Hagrid gave a small chuckle. "But no. There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang."

Leo looked down in disappointment.

"Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I want Fang," Leo said quickly, figuring he'd have a better chance of running into something dangerous without someone as big as Hagrid around.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid, almost causing Leo to squeal. "So me, Harry, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Leo, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now — that's it — an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh — so, be careful — let's go."

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Harry, Hermione, and Hagrid took the left path while Leo, Neville, and Fang took the right.

They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves. Leo was a bit concerned by this. He wasn't an expert on unicorns – or anything, really – but he was moderately certain that whatever did this had to be fast and deadly. Unicorns were essentially horses with swords on their heads, after all.

Leo pulled his sleeve from Neville's grip for about the seventh time that night, holding his wand aloft as he searched through the darkness for the rest of the trail. He spotted more blood, except it went off the path they were supposed to be on. Leo really wanted to follow it but didn't want to leave Neville behind or drag him along. He was about to reach a decision when a branch snapped behind them. Immediately, Neville shrieked and shot red sparks in the air.

Leo jumped forward; wand held up only to relax a second later when he discovered that a squirrel had made the noise. He sighed to himself in a mixture of relief and disappointment. He turned back to Neville, only to whirl around and hold his wand up once more as a barrage of noise barreled towards them. It turned out to be Hagrid.

"Yeh alright?" he questioned in a worried tone.

"Splendid," Leo replied in a dry tone, lowering his wand. "Neville got scared by a vicious, man-eating squirrel. Thank God he didn't panic."

Hagrid let out a small grunt of relief before leading them back to where Harry and Hermione were waiting.

"Right, we're changin' groups — Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an' Leo," Hagrid added in a whisper to Leo, "Figure Neville'll have an easier time with me an' we've gotta get this done."

So, Leo set off into the heart of the forest with Harry and Fang. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. Leo thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker, prompting him to grip his wand more tightly. There were splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. Leo could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.

"Look —" he murmured, holding out his arm to stop Harry.

Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer. It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Leo had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves. He immediately felt guilty about being excited earlier.

Leo had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered... Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Leo, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.

_That's no creature. That's a person._ Leo deduced, eyes narrowing angrily as his knuckles turned white. Sparks burst forth from his wand, the sound alerting the person currently defiling the unicorn's corpse. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry and Leo — unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward the boys. Leo raised his wand, prepared to cast a curse when a black shape blurred past him.

Long white fangs flashed in the moonlight as they latched onto the person – who let out a yell of pain as blood spurted from his left arm. The person took out a wand, pointed it at his attacker, and with a few mumbled words a blue light emitted from his wand, blasting Leo's savior away.

Leo took that momentary distraction to point his wand at the person and shout, "_Mucus ad Nauseam Tria_!"

The person clutched their face... and the back of their head? Leo was further confused when he heard two different sneezes. He shook his head, raising his wand in case the person was able to recover and retaliate. Instead, they ran away, dripping bodily fluids everywhere. He then heard hooves behind him, galloping, and something jumped clean over both Harry and Leo, landing where the figure had once been.

Leo held his wand up, wary of this new challenge. Movement to his right alerted him that his savior from earlier was alright. Leo turned his head, blinking at the large, black wolf that walked up to the new entry – a centaur with white-blond hair and a palomino body. The wolf's ear tips reached the newcomer's waist, something Leo was sure wasn't common for wolves.

"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Harry – who had fallen over - to his feet.

"Brilliant. You missed the party," Leo commented.

"Yes — thank you — what was that?" Harry replied in a more polite tone.

The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead.

"You are the Potter boy," he said. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time — especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way.

"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front legs so that Harry could clamber onto his back.

There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Two more centaurs came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty. Leo threw up his hands in confusion, unsure if he was supposed to be fighting or not.

"Firenze!" thundered the black-haired and – bodied - centaur. "What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"

"Do you realize who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter boy. The quicker he leaves this forest, the better."

"What have you been telling him?" growled the black-haired centaur. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

The second centaur pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," he said in his gloomy voice.

The black one kicked his back legs in anger. "For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"

Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that Harry had to grab his shoulders to stay on.

"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at the black one. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."

And Firenze whisked around; with Harry clutching on as best he could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving the two centaurs and the wolf behind them. But, more importantly -

"I can't believe they bloody ditched me!" Leo complained, throwing his hands into the air. "Can you belie – oh."

The other two centaurs had left as well. _Well, this is an upsetting turn of events._ He remarked dryly. Fang had long since fled, leaving Leo alone with the wolf.

"Don't suppose you know how to get out of here, do you?"

The wolf gave a curt nod before trotting away, leaving Leo no choice but to follow him. It took them some time to exit the forest, wherein he found Hagrid, Neville, Hermione, and Harry waiting for him with anxious looks on their faces. The latter two ran forward at once, enveloping him in a tight hug. Leo returned it, looking over their shoulders at Hagrid.

"Your buddy Firenze is a bloody wanker," Leo informed him.

Hagrid, seeming to understand Leo had had a long night, decided to forego scolding his language and said, "He lef' yeh in the best hands – paws – imaginable. There's not many a creature that'd tangle with Knight."

"'Knight'?" Leo inquired.

"Aye. He's been guardin' the forest for almos' twenty years now," Hagrid informed him. "Not quite sure where he came from, bu' he's a good fell'er. Bit scary at firs', o' course. Bu' he's a friendly wolf."

* * *

Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Harry roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as Harry began to tell him, Hermione, and Leo what had happened in the forest.

Harry couldn't sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire, still shaking. Leo was still tripping over the fact that he had hit Voldemort – one of the baddest, most evil wizards in the world – with the Curse of the Bogies. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Snape wants the Stone for Voldemort... and Voldemort's waiting in the forest... and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich..."

"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.

"Stop being a baby, Ronald," Leo groused, rubbing his head in an attempt to stop his growing headache.

Harry ignored them both.

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so... Bane was furious... he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen... They must know that Voldemort's coming back... Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me... I suppose that's written in the stars as well."

"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.

Leo lobbed a pillow at him, receiving a glare in return.

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off... Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort.

"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of, with Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."

"Yeah, but what happens if Dumbledore gets called away from the school?" Leo inquired.

None of them had an answer.


	16. Chapter 15: Wizarding Obstacle Course

**Chapter 15: Wizarding Obstacle Course**

_Exams have started. I had been dreading them for quite some time now. Not because of their contents, no. But because they signify the year coming to a close. They mean I have to return to Grimmauld. The very thought fills me with a terror I can't even begin to describe. I'd rather spend the rest of my life in the Forbidden Forest than ever go back there._

* * *

_Uncle Siri,_

_I served detention yesterday night. Not the first time I've done it, and I'm quite sure it won't be the last. This one was different. We went to the Forbidden Forest. I had been planning to go all year, and being able to go during detention made me feel as though all my dreams had come true. At least, until it all turned into a nightmare._

_There was something killing unicorns and we had to find it. I was looking forward to adventure – to fighting something dangerous. I found the unicorn and felt so incredibly guilty that I had been excited earlier. That something so beautiful – so pure – had died... it was hard to swallow. I didn't have time to wallow in sadness when the killer appeared._

_It was a person, not a creature, much to my surprise. I got so angry – my wand sparked. The person saw me. They charged me, but I was saved by a wolf. The person blasted the wolf away and I took my chance; blasting them with the Curse of the Bogies. They retreated._

_Imagine my surprise when I found out that the person I had attacked was really Voldemort in disguise. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry at that point. I just pissed off the evilest wizard of all time. On one hand, I'm...there are no hands. I'm terrified, Uncle Siri._

_Voldemort is a powerful wizard and I'm just an eleven-year-old kid. I can't - I can't... Give me a moment while I quietly hyperventilate... I'm not familiar with fear, Uncle Siri. I've never been afraid of anything but... I'm scared. What do I do?_

_Please help._

_Love,_

_Leo_

* * *

Leo managed to hide his growing sense of terror quite well, he had to admit. He kept a broad smile on his face and continued to strut around the castle like he usually did. Pulling pranks with the Weasley twins helped immensely. It was nice to just kick back and have a laugh, forgetting all his worries for the moment. Not even the oncoming exams dampened his slowly rising spirits.

It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-cheating spell.

They had practical exams as well. Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap-dance across a desk. McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox — points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was but taken away if it had whiskers. Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion.

Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. When the ghost of Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, Leo couldn't help cheering with the rest.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

"I haven't a clue what either of those things are," Leo informed her, knowing it would fall on deaf ears.

"M-Mr. Black, a w-word?" stuttered a voice behind them.

"Sure," Leo replied with a shrug, turning to face Professor Quirrell.

Quirrell led him back towards the castle and up the stairs. They made for the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, where Quirrell closed the door and locked it behind him. Leo turned to look at him quizzically, opening his mouth to ask what was going on when his left sleeve rode up slightly, revealing a heavily bandaged arm.

Leo dove to the side just as a jet of red light shot towards him, careening into a desk as he did so. He rolled to the side, avoiding another red jet of light...and into the path of a second. Everything went dark after that.

* * *

Leo awoke with a gasp in front of an eerily familiar door: Fluffy's. He wasn't alone, Quirrell stood before him, wand leveled at his head.

"Don't suppose this is part of the exams is it, Professor?" Leo asked nervously.

"I think you and I both know what this is, Black," Quirrell replied, not stuttering once. "Open the door."

"Well, I would, but it's usually locked and all so..."

Quirrell flicked his wand and the door swung open. As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, and Leo heard the dog's tail wagging furiously as he recognized Leo's scent. Quirrell grabbed Leo by the collar of his shirt and pulled him to his feet, whirling him around to face the room with the tip of his wand pressed into his back.

"Get us past the dog or I'll kill him," he hissed in his ear.

Leo winced before striding forward slowly with Quirrell right behind him.

"Hey there, Fluffy, how're you?" Leo inquired, receiving barks from all three heads. "Brilliant. Now, listen, I'm going to need you to let _everyone_ through the trap door – understand?" Their heads tilted to the side. "C'mon, buddy, just let _everyone_ through, alright?"

The heads gave a low whine before shuffling off to the side, allowing Leo and Quirrell to walk forward unharmed and open the trap door. Leo looked down through the trapdoor. There was no sign of the bottom. Quirrell gestured for him to go first. He lowered himself through the hole until he was hanging on by his fingertips. Then he looked up at Quirrell, who stepped on his fingers, causing him to lose his grip and slide down.

Cold, damp air rushed past him as he fell down, down, down and — FLUMP. With a funny, muffled sort of thump, he landed on something soft. He sat up and felt around, his eyes not used to the gloom. It felt as though he was sitting on some sort of plant. _Shit._ He lurched forward, running over the plant and down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward.

All Leo could hear apart from his own rapid footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward, reminding Leo vividly of Gringotts. He reached the end of the passageway and saw before him a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.

Leo took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and sprinted across the room. He expected to feel sharp beaks and claws tearing at him any second, but nothing happened. He reached the door untouched. He pulled the handle, but it was locked.

"Son of a bitch!" Leo groaned, looking around the room furtively.

He watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering —_glittering? Those aren't birds, they're keys._ He looked around, spotting a set of broomsticks. He ran over to them, quickly mounting one before kicking off into the air, looking frantically for a key that matched the knob on the door.

After a minute's weaving about through the whirl of rainbow feathers, he noticed a large silver key that matched the description he was looking for. He rose quickly into the air before diving and corkscrewing toward the key, snatching it out of the air before pelting down to the door.

Leo landed quickly and ran to the door, the key struggling in his hand. He rammed it into the lock and turned – it worked. The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, and a jet of light flashed over Leo's head. He ducked into the next chamber, which was so dark he couldn't see anything at all. But as he stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight. He was running across a huge chessboard, past the black chessmen, which were all taller than he was and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing him, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Behind the white pieces, he could see another door.

Leo sprinted across the board, ducking and dodging spells before -

"_Crucio!_"

It was pain beyond anything Leo had ever experienced; his very bones were on fire. He crumpled to the ground, feeling as though white-hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin. He was screaming more loudly than he'd ever screamed in his life. And then it stopped. Leo rolled over and saw Quirrell standing before him.

"Try to run away again, Black, and I'll keep you under much longer."

He flicked his wand, and ropes bound themselves around Leo, preventing him from moving. He flicked his wand again, and Leo flew off to the side, and off the board. He panted heavily, his entire body shaking as the effects of whatever curse Quirrell had cast lingered. It didn't take long for Quirrell to maneuver his way across the chessboard and win the game. He summoned Leo back to him, vanishing the ropes that bound him.

"Get moving, Black," Quirrell snarled.

Leo rose shakily to his feet, not having the energy to make a smart comment at this juncture. He limped across the board, opening the door wherein stood a troll so much larger than the one he and his friends had faced. Quirrell flicked his wand and the troll's club flew out of its hand, rising and smacking it on the head, just as Ron had done. Quirrell prodded Leo onward toward the next door.

He pulled open the door, not really looking forward to what came next - but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line. They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped. Quirrell pushed him forward.

"Open the door," he commanded.

"Did you miss the part where the door's on fire?" Leo asked in a dry tone.

Quirrell narrowed his eyes dangerously before flicking his wand. Leo was on the floor again, screaming in agony before the curse was abruptly lifted.

"You and I both know what you are, boy. Now, open the door unless you want to experience the Cruciatus Curse the same way the Longbottoms did."

Leo wasn't sure what he meant by that, but a plan did spring to mind at this. He slowly rose to his feet, trembling as he walked towards the door. His hand reached through the black flames to grab the doorknob. Smirking triumphantly, Leo twisted the doorknob, opened the door, and dove inside, slamming the door behind him. Quirrell's scream of rage followed him. _Not much time._

He looked around furtively, surprised when he saw only a mirror standing in the middle of the chamber. Despite his piqued curiosity, Leo didn't really want to approach it. He needed a way out of here, and fast. _Or, at the very least, I need to stall for time until the cavalry comes._

He glanced at the mirror again, debating whether or not he should break it so that he would at least have a weapon. He ran over to it, grabbing it by the back and pushing it forward. The mirror fell forward, but there was no sign of shattering glass. _Great. Magic mirror. Must mean magic is the only way to break it. And here I am without a wand._ He turned in the direction of the door Quirrell was locked behind. _But he's not._

Leo was beginning to regret all his life choices at that moment as he ran back towards the door, pressing himself against the wall as he waited for Quirrell to finally make his way through the door. After a few minutes, the knob turned and the door opened. Quirrell strode into the room, looking around for Leo, who tackled him from behind and began wrestling with him on the ground.

At that moment, Leo was grateful for all the fights he had been in with Dudley and his friends. He dug in the pocket of Quirrell's robes, managing to locate his wand before he was abruptly thrown off. He was about to rise to his feet when another Cruciatus Curse hit him and he crumpled to the ground, writhing in pain. A coppery taste filled his mouth and he realized he had bitten his tongue. The curse lifted.

"You are turning into quite the nuisance, Black."

Leo spat blood at his feet.

"Runs in the family, I suppose."

Quirrell pointed his wand at Leo, muttered a few words, and darkness consumed him.

* * *

"- He is with me wherever I go," Quirrell was saying. "I met him when I traveled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it... Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me." Quirrell was silent for a moment. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me... decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me..."

Quirrell's voice trailed away.

Leo suppressed a groan as he opened an eye, seeing Quirrell mere feet from him, standing in front of the mirror. Pain and exhaustion radiated through every bone in his body, and he wanted nothing more than to sink back in the darkness he had woken up from.

Quirrell cursed under his breath.

"I don't understand... is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"

_Focus, Leo. Focus._ His fingers gripped his wand, which Quirrell hadn't had the foresight to take back.

"What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"

And to Leo's horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself.

"Use the boy... Use the boy..."

Quirrell turned around, and Leo quickly shut his eyes.

"Yes — Potter — come here."

_Harry's here?_ Leo suppressed the urge to gasp in surprise as Quirrell clapped his hands. Sure enough, Harry's small footsteps approached him, hesitating at his side before he continued toward the mirror. Leo opened his eyes a slit, eyeing the mirror. _I can't let Quirrell get to it. I can't let him get Harry. C'mon, Leo, you vowed to protect him. You need to live up to that vow now._ Renewed determination flooded through Leo's veins as he carefully aimed his wand at the mirror.

"Look in the mirror and tell me what you -"

"_Diffindo Maxima!_" Leo shouted.

A jet of hot pink burst forth from his wand, shattering the mirror upon impact. Quirrell screamed, taking out his wand as Leo fired the Knockback Jinx at him. With his already loose hold on his wand, it fell from his grasp as he flew back. Harry dove forward, picking up the wand and holding it aloft as Leo slowly rose to his feet. Quirrell rose to his own feet, his face a mask of rage.

The high voice spoke again.

"Let me speak to them... face-to-face..."

"Master, you are not strong enough!"

"I have strength enough... for this..."

Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. What was going on? The turban fell away. Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot.

Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Leo had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.

"Harry Potter..." it whispered. "And Leo Black."

"Wow," Leo panted. "You are... hideous. That's some serious nightmare fuel right there."

"Foolish boy! Do you realize what you've done?" Voldemort hissed.

"Uh...saved the world? You're welcome?" Leo finally said.

"Don't be a fool," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me... or you'll meet the same end as each of your parents... They died begging me for mercy..."

"LIAR!" Harry shouted suddenly.

Quirrell was walking backward at them so that Voldemort could still see them. The evil face was now smiling.

"How touching..." it hissed. "I always value bravery... Yes, boy, your parents were brave... I killed your father first; he put up a courageous fight... but your mother needn't have died... she was trying to protect you..."

"Well, duh, you were trying to murder her child," Leo rolled his eyes. "Did you think she was just going to hand him over and then skip off to the market? Maybe grab some sweet rolls to share?"

"Silence, boy!" Voldemort snarled.

Leo stuck out his tongue.

"Make me, arsebiscuit."

Leo grabbed Harry's arm and sprang toward the flame door, but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE THEM!" and the next second, Quirrell's hand closed on Harry's wrist. He screamed and to Leo's surprise, Quirrell let go of him. Leo followed Harry's gaze to rest on Quirrell, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers — they were blistering before his eyes. _Wicked_.

"Seize them! SEIZE THEM!" shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking both Leo and Harry clean off their feet landing on top of Harry, both hands around his neck — Quirrell howled in agony.

"Master, I cannot hold him — my hands — my hands!"

And Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees, let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms — Leo could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.

"Then kill him, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort. Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but Harry, as if by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face —

"AAAARGH!"

Quirrell rolled off him, his face blistering, too, and then Harry and Leo both knew: Quirrell couldn't touch his bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain — their only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse.

Harry jumped to his feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as tight as he could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Harry off, but to no avail. Sweat poured from the boy's face, his face spasming in pain as he tried to hold on. _It's killing him. _Leo realized. Suddenly, he dove forward, knocking Harry away from him and pointing his wand straight at Quirrell's face, his face an angry shade of red.

"You don't have it in you, boy!" Quirrell snarled.

"That's where you're wrong," Leo corrected him, tightening his grip on his wand. "_Incendio Tria._"

Blue flames shot forth from his wand, engulfing Quirrell as he screamed in agony. Leo didn't release the spell until the screaming had stopped, and all that remained was a pile of ash. It was then that the door burst open, prompting Leo to turn around swiftly, only to see Dumbledore rushing into the room, his face pale.

"You took your sweet time," Leo remarked, lowering his wand.

"Leo," Dumbledore sighed in relief, reaching out a hand that Leo flinched away from. "What happened?"

"You want the long version or the short? Either way, Harry needs to be taken to the hospital wing," Leo informed him.

"The short version will have to suffice, for the moment," Dumbledore replied, conjuring a stretcher with a wave of his wand and levitating Harry onto it.

"Well, Quirrell kidnapped me and tried to use my abilities to cheat his way through the wizarding obstacle course. Harry popped by for a rescue mission. I broke the mirror, killed Quirrell, the end."

Dumbledore turned his head sharply at this.

"You killed Professor Quirrell?"

"It was either him or Harry. There's no question of who I was supposed to save. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

* * *

**A/N: I should probably state that while I don't usually respond to comments on here, I do, in fact, read them. I apologize to those of you wanting me to respond to your comments, but doing so requires me having to go in and respond on the following chapter rather than responding directly like I can on Wattpad. (Also, considering next chapter is the last chapter of this book anyway, I wouldn't be able to respond to your comments on the next chapter). If you'd like to post a comment for me to reply to, consider reading and posting it on Wattpad. I check it more often than I do Fanfiction. You can find me under the name 'Destifer666'. **

**Hope you're looking forward to the final chapter of 'Lionheart' next Friday!**

**Cheers,**

**Nile/Desty**


	17. Chapter 16: Showtime

**Chapter 16: Showtime**

_I broke down today. The stress and the fear were too much. McGonagall found me in an unused classroom. She didn't say a word just... came over and hugged me. It was shocking at first but...then it became warm and comforting. That just made me cry all the harder._

* * *

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Black?"

It was two days after the incident with Quirrell, and Madam Pomfrey had reluctantly allowed him to leave the Hospital Wing and participate in the final Quidditch match of the season. Wood was so delighted that they wouldn't be Seeker-less for their final match that he was willing to overlook almost any lingering problems Leo may have had as a result of the many Cruciatus Curses inflicted upon him. Not that Leo would ever admit to having any sort of problem.

"I'm riding a broom, not running a marathon, Wood," Leo rolled his eyes as they strolled out onto the pitch with the rest of the team.

"That's the ticket," Wood grinned, clapping him on the shoulder and ignoring Leo's wince.

They stood opposite the Ravenclaw team as they mounted their brooms. Madam Hooch blew the whistle and they took off, the balls releasing as well. Leo caught the eye of the Ravenclaw Seeker, a pretty Asian girl who gave him a small smile. Leo gave a short nod in return before soaring up higher, hoping to have a higher vantage point.

For the most part, he ignored the commentary and the players, focusing on locating the Snitch and dodging the occasional Bludger. After fifteen minutes, he spotted a glint of gold near the teachers' stand. Leo did a loop before falling into his patent-pending corkscrew dive, barely acknowledging the Ravenclaw Seeker in hot pursuit. He chased after the Snitch for a good bit before his hand firmly wrapped around it and he pulled up, holding the ball in the air as the stadium cheered wildly.

He slowly floated down to the ground, where he was engulfed in hugs from all sides by the rest of his team. They carried Leo into the stands where Dumbledore presented them with the Quidditch Cup. Amidst the cheering, Dumbledore leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "I need a word with you later, Mr. Black."

* * *

Leo slowly followed Ron and Hermione as they dashed into the hospital wing, yelling Harry's name. He kept his hands in the pocket of his dark grey hoodie, tightly gripping his wand as he walked over to Harry's bed and sat on its edge.

"Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to — Dumbledore was so worried —"

"The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What _really_ happened?"

Leo had refused to talk about what had happened and had even taken to walking out of the room any time they brought it up. That left Harry as their only option for information.

Harry told them everything: Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone – or lack thereof, considering Leo had essentially destroyed it whilst it had been trapped in the mirror; and Voldemort. Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when Harry told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud.

"So the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"

"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that — what was it? — 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.'"

"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was.

"So what happened to you two?" said Harry.

"Well, I got back all right," said Hermione. "I brought Ron round — that took a while — and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall — he already knew — he just said, 'Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?' and hurtled off to the third floor."

"D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"

"Well, " Hermione exploded, "if he did — I mean to say that's terrible — you could have been killed."

_He's always scheming._

"No, it isn't," said Harry thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could..."

"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course — even though Leo won us the last match, we couldn't pull out enough points to win the House Cup — but the food'll be good."

Hermione turned to Leo. He frowned, already knowing what she was about to ask.

"That reminds me – what happened to you, Leo? Obviously, we realize now that Quirrell kidnapped you, but why?"

"Revenge for that Curse of the Bogies, I imagine," Leo shrugged in response. "It was rather humiliating."

"What happened while he was holding you captive?" Ron questioned.

Leo shifted uncomfortably.

"I'd rather not talk about it, thanks."

"What happened after I passed out?" Harry inquired. "Dumbledore never said. Something about 'not his story to tell.'

A dark expression passed over Leo's face before he replied, "Trust me, Harry, you're better off not knowing."

The other three were unnerved at his response but didn't press him further. Madam Pomfrey came over and began shooing them out. She tried to bustle Leo out as well, but he refused to budge, informing her that she could take it up with Dumbledore. She wasn't very pleased about this but returned to her office nonetheless.

"I'm assuming Dumbledore filled you in on the whole Dursley situation?" Leo mumbled, swinging his leg back and forth over the bed.

"Yeah... he said I have to go back for a few weeks. Something about a charm that needs to be renewed?" Harry confirmed.

"Yeah... I tried to fight him on it – relatively certain Hogsmeade heard our one-sided shouting match," Leo grinned humorlessly. "I wouldn't worry about it, though. Once those few weeks are up, you can come home. I was thinking maybe we'd even go visit the Weasleys and stay for a bit – how does that sound?"

"Wicked," Harry smiled widely.

The next night, the Great Hall was decked out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.

When Harry walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly at once. He slipped into a seat between Ron and Leo at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at him.

Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away.

"Another year, come and gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully, your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts...

"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with two hundred and forty-two points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and ninety-two."

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. "Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.

"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes...

"First — to Mr. Ronald Weasley..."

Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with a bad sunburn.

"... for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"

At last, there was silence again.

"Second — to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Hermione buried her face in her arms; Leo strongly suspected she had burst into tears. Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves — they were a hundred points up.

"Third — to Mr. Harry Potter..." said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. "... for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

The din was deafening.

Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.

"Fourth," Dumbledore said. "To Mr. Leo Black, for resilience and fortitude beyond his years, I award Gryffindor House... fifty points."

Cheers erupted all over. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and ninety-two points — exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the house cup — if only Dumbledore had given them just one more point.

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I, therefore, award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. Leo just continued to clap politely.

"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile.

* * *

Leo had mostly forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To Harry's great surprise, both he and Ron passed with good marks; Hermione, of course, had the best grades of the first years. What was even more shocking was that Leo had done almost as well as she had. She almost fainted at this, given that the only times she had seen Leo even look at a book was to do homework.

"Do the work and pay attention," Leo shrugged. "Not exactly like the classes are super difficult."

Hermione almost strangled him in that moment.

And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasley sadly); Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier, though Leo remained quiet and pensive the entire ride; eating Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.

It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.

"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "all of you — I'll send you an owl."

"Thanks," said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to." People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called:

"Bye, Harry!"

"See you, Potter!"

"Have a good summer, Black!"

"Still famous," said Ron, grinning at them.

"Not where I'm going, I promise you," said Harry.

"I'd rather not be," Leo mumbled.

Harry, Ron, Leo, and Hermione passed through the gateway together. "There he is, Mom, there he is, look!"

It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, but she wasn't pointing at Ron.

"Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mom! I can see —"

"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point."

Mrs. Weasley smiled down at them.

"Busy year?" she said.

"Very," said Harry. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."

"Yeah, it was delicious and warm - in that order," Leo agreed.

"Oh, it was nothing, dear."

"Ready, are you?" It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still mustached, looking furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Harry.

"You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.

"In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He walked away.

Leo followed after him, stopping when he had rejoined the rest of the Dursleys. Vernon turned around, his face turning an impossibly darker shade.

"See here, boy -"

"Shut it," Leo snapped, cutting across him. "Let me make one thing perfectly clear to you: if I find out that you've hurt Harry, starved him, locked him in a cupboard, or harmed him in any other way... you will regret it. Remember, I know where you live."

Leo wheeled his cart around to an empty storage closet before calling for Kreacher to take him back home. He had a busy summer ahead of him.

* * *

**A/N:**

**And so ends the first book. Join me next Friday for the sequel to _Lionheart:_ _Snakeskin._**


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